How Intrinsic Motivation for Urban Park Visits Is Associated With Residents’ Somatic Health: Roles of Place Satisfaction and Personality Traits

Objectives Rapid urbanization poses significant public health challenges, and urban parks are increasingly recognized for physical and mental health benefits. However, the psychological mechanisms linking urban park visits to health outcomes remain underexplored, particularly the role of intrinsic motivation and individual differences. Methods Drawing on Self-Determination Theory and personality psychology, a cross-sectional survey of 1,191 park visitors in central China employed validated tools (IMI, PHQ-15, PAS, BFI-2). Moderated mediation analyses were conducted using SPSS and the PROCESS macro. Results Intrinsic motivation showed a strong direct association with residents’ somatic health. Place satisfaction partially mediated this relationship, though the indirect effect was modest compared to the direct pathway. Personality traits significantly moderated key pathways: Extraversion weakened the link between intrinsic motivation and place satisfaction, while agreeableness attenuated the somatic health benefits associated with place satisfaction. Conclusion Psychological factors play a crucial role in shaping the association between urban park engagement and somatic health outcomes. These findings suggest that urban park planning should go beyond accessibility and consider motivational and personality-based differences to maximize somatic health benefits. Designing urban parks that foster intrinsic motivation and accommodate diverse personality types may contribute to more effective and equitable public health outcomes.