Inside and outside the neighborhood: Short-term and long-term subjective well-being by geographical context

The value of linking urban environment and subjective well-being (SWB) is now well recognized. But whether the geographical context inside and outside the neighborhood has differential influence on long- and short-term SWB remains unclear. Based on the activity perspective, we used survey data from Guangzhou, China, integrating GPS data, portable environmental sensors data to analyze time-weighted and real-time geographical context inside and outside the neighborhood on long- and short-term SWB. The results show that SWB is not only influenced by the neighborhood environment, but also the geographical context outside the neighborhood. Time-weighted geographical environment inside the neighborhood has a higher impact and explanatory ability on long-term SWB, while real-time geographical environment outside the neighborhood has a higher impact and explanatory ability on short-term SWB. This study provides a new understanding for geographies of SWB through the extension of time and space, and also provides reference for more refined urban planning and governance in the future. •Spatiality and temporality should be comprehensively considered in the geographical research of subjective well-being (SWB).•Geographical context inside and outside the neighborhood has different effects on short-term and long-term SWB.•Long-term SWB is more susceptible to the time-weighted geographical environment inside the neighborhood.•Short-term SWB is more susceptible to the real-time geographical environment outside the neighborhood.