Spatial behaviors in recreation: Visitor-based rhythmanalysis approach

Urban green areas, which are an important and indispensable part of urban spaces, provide recreational opportunities to city residents. Despite various studies on rhythmanalysis in different outdoor and indoor places, knowledge about rhythms of urban parks is limited, especially concerning its influencers. Therefore, the aim of this PhD thesis is to investigate rhythm influencers and rhythms in two urban parks, Ordsall Park and St. John's Gardens in Manchester, England, to fulfill the gap in the literature. The thesis study integrated the autoethnography method and rhythmanalysis to better understand the behavioral and psychosocial patterns underlying the use of the urban parks. The results of the rhythmanalysis study identified six rhythm influencers: Temporal differences, spatial differences, spatial-temporal differences, physical and abstract boundaries of the park, interruption influencers of the park, and interaction influencers of the park. The following were found to be the common rhythm themes of the two urban parks: Calling rhythms, somatic rhythms, seasonal rhythms, rhythms as a result of wear and debris, rhythms of non-human and sonic, happy moment rhythms, nostalgic rhythms, arrhythmia of the park, and rhythms of labor and workers. The results of the thesis study have the theoretical and practical implications. The results contribute to the literature on park recreation and rhythmanalysis by providing novel perspectives on rhythms and its influencers in urban parks. The results of the thesis also offer several practical and managerial implications for a range of stakeholders, including park managers, park designers, service managers, policymakers, and local government managers.