A study of the effect of cycling experience on place attachment from the embodiment theory perspective

Under the new mobility paradigm, bicycles are no longer just for daily commuting, and greenway cycling has evolved into a new tourism and leisure activity. Compared to other types of tourism experiences, tourists' outdoor leisure cycling experiences are characterized by a higher degree of embodied cognition. As people interact with spaces and places, different physical experiences and perceptions are generated, which in turn lead to emotional judgments about the place. Therefore, we used a questionnaire to survey and analyze cyclists (265 people) in Dongxiaokou Forest Park. The structural equation model analysis was conducted using AMOS 24.0 software. Drawing on the embodiment perspective and the expansive construction theory of positive emotions, this study investigates the impact of cyclists' embodied experiences on place attachment. The following conclusions are drawn: (1) Cyclists' embodied experience can be categorized into two dimensions: physical experience and psychological experience. (2) The embodied experience has a significant effect on the positive emotions of tourists. (3) The psychological dimension of embodied experience has a direct effect on place attachment. (4) Positive emotions have a mediating role in the relationship between embodied experience and place attachment. (5) Those who cycled more often showed higher levels of place attachment, and those who had a cycling companion had a stronger cycling experience than those who cycled alone.