Author(s): WU, Z., ZHANG, Z., Institution: EAST CHINA NORMAL UNIVERSITY, Country: CHINA, Abstract-ID: 2322

In the context of the emergence and rapid development of sports cities, current research primarily focuses on two main aspects: the role of sports activities in shaping urban brands, revitalizing the economy, improving peoples livelihood, and the study of evaluation index system models and internal factors influencing the formation of urban field patterns. However, this field faces challenges due to insufficient micro-level analysis, empirical studies of citizens as subjects, and in-depth investigations, particularly regarding the "image" perception of sports participants personal experiences. This study employed literature review and hand-drawn cognitive mapping methods to analyze and summarize the cognitive maps drawn by sports activity participants. The research revealed that sports participants formed sequential and spatial images, as well as some singular sports facility images, which were represented in their cognitive maps. Cognitive factors such as participants gender, environmental familiarity, personal preferences, types of sports activities, and educational background influenced the formation of spatial images in their cognitive maps. Regarding the composition of cognitive map images of urban sports venues, females demonstrated more diverse and rich overall images compared to males. Male spatial images were predominantly composed of districts, while female images were mainly constructed through paths and landmarks. Additionally, female respondents showed greater deviation in their drawn routes compared to geographic map routes than their male counterparts. Cities are fundamentally human-centered, representing the embodiment of human spirit, and sports venues are not merely objective exercise spaces; their true scale derives from the projection of human subjects bodies. Emphasizing human perspective and scale in sports city research is essential for providing better recommendations and strategies for future spatial planning and construction.