Lauren E Mullenbach
Biographic Data
| ID | 4191971 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Lauren E Mullenbach |
| GIVEN NAMES | Lauren E |
| FAMILY NAME | Mullenbach |
| SIGNATURE | MULLENBACH L E |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Oklahoma |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-1258-7983 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 28 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 56 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 28 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2016 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
“It's politics, not processes: ” Challenges to climate adaptation planning in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Values outweigh political ideology when forming beliefs about gentrification: A study of the U.S. general public
Examining environmental justice in legacy city climate action planning
We performed a content analysis of 15 legacy city climate action plans to identify how legacy cities in the U.S. are incorporating environmental justice into their climate adaptation and mitigation strategies. First, we evaluated the depth of discussion related to the three dimensions of environmental justice: distributive, procedural and recognition justice. Additionally, we assessed the extent to which legacy cities are discussing social equity…
Influence of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Students’ Social Experience: A Cross-Sectional Qualitative Study across Seven Universities in the U.S
The COVID-19 pandemic affected and continues to modify students’ social life and as a result may impact their long-term development. This study is a part of a larger research project focused on the psychological impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on university students. For this manuscript, we employed content analysis to analyze 1,327 quotes related to changes in social experiences and outcomes related to these changes from a sample of 1,099 stude…
The Role of Social Contact in Public Perceptions of Homelessness in Parks and Public Spaces
Unsheltered homelessness – in which people reside in parks or on streets – is on the rise and poses a challenge for municipal parks and recreation agencies. Simultaneously, public opinion on homelessness has softened in recent years and may be misaligned with park agency practices. This study measured public attitudes on homelessness and on park agency involvement in addressing homelessness, using intergroup contact theory. Prior experience with …
Unhoused users in parks and public greenspace: An intergroup conflict approach
Like other user groups, people experiencing homelessness utilize parks and other public spaces for a variety of reasons, including recreation/leisure, physical activity, socializing, and to enjoy time in nature. However, unlike other user groups, unhoused park users also often rely on parks as a setting to engage in a variety of necessary metabolic and biophysical functions. Despite the centrality of these places to both unhoused and housed membe…
Advancing green space equity via policy change: A scoping review and research agenda
Urban green spaces – including parks, trees, and other vegetated areas – are inequitably distributed in cities worldwide, as underserved groups, such as low-income and people of color, have significantly lower provisions of such resources. Motivated by the health benefits of green spaces, advocates and policymakers in several countries have sought to ameliorate these systemic inequities by implementing green space equity initiatives. Many such in…
Gentrification Beliefs and Attitudes Towards Park and Recreation Agency Actions Intended to Support People Experiencing Homelessness
After declining from historically high levels following the Great Recession, homelessness in the United States is again on the rise due to an increase in the prevalence of unsheltered homelessness, and homeless encampments in public spaces such as parks. As such, there is significant interest in understanding opinion regarding community park agency activities intended to support unhoused users. Unfortunately, these actions and investments may als…
Attitudes Towards Unhoused Park Users and Preferences for Public Space Management: Applying the Potential for Conflict Index 2 Approach
What Floodplain Managers Want: Using Weather and Climate Information for Decision-Making
As a result of climate change, extreme precipitation events are likely to become more common in Oklahoma, requiring cities and municipalities to plan for managing this extra water. There are multiple types of practitioners within communities who are responsible for overseeing planning for the future, including stormwater and floodplain management. These practitioners may be able to integrate weather and climate information into their decision-mak…
Short-term rentals, resilience, and gentrification
Cultivating social capital in diverse, low-income neighborhoods: The value of parks for parents with young children
“Messy transitions”: Students’ perspectives on the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on higher education
Climate change adaptation plans: Inclusion of health, equity, and green space
We examined the extent to which cities’ climate change adaptation plans, in U.S. cities broadly and in shrinking cities, discuss health equity/justice, including injustices related to green spaces. Using content analysis of 88 cities’ climate change adaptation plans, we coded for health, equity/justice, parks/green space, and joint usage of these terms. We made comparisons of keyword usage between shrinking and non-shrinking cities to examine how…
Critical discourse analysis of urban park and public space development
Psychological impacts from Covid-19 among university students: Risk factors across seven states in the United States
Background University students are increasingly recognized as a vulnerable population, suffering from higher levels of anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and disordered eating compared to the general population. Therefore, when the nature of their educational experience radically changes—such as sheltering in place during the COVID-19 pandemic—the burden on the mental health of this vulnerable population is amplified. The objectives of this st…
Centering environmental justice: Gentrification beliefs, attitudes, and support of park development in a shrinking city
Does public support of urban park development stem from gentrification beliefs and attitudes
Urban parks, the growth machine, and the media: An analysis of press coverage of the high line, klyde warren park, and the rail park
News media have the power to influence public opinion and economic growth. News coverage of landmark urban parks may influence public support of such parks, potentially increasing economic growth. However, some landmark urban parks have been associated with gentrification and displacement. News media may implicitly support local economic growth to the detriment of vulnerable residents through uncritical, positive coverage of park projects. Howeve…
Can urban parks bridge deep divides? Assessing the effects of inter-racial social interaction in parks and public spaces on trust
The ability of urban parks and public spaces to address distrust and social isolation needs to be rigorously tested, as the predominance of such claims may crowd out discussions of environmental racism and structural inequality. This study tested some commonly stated claims about parks’ influence on social well-being using a survey of residents in St. Louis, Missouri. We tested relationships between park and public space visitation frequency, pos…
Exploring the conditions that promote intergroup contact at urban parks
Urban parks have the potential to serve as places that facilitate intergroup contact between racially and ethnically diverse users. However, there is limited evidence identifying the conditions under which intergroup contact occurs in urban park settings. Existing literature suggests that the psychosocial conditions of safety, community engagement, psychological ownership, and sense of welcome and belonging may be related to park-based intergroup…
Environmental Justice, Gentrification, and Leisure: A Systematic Review and Opportunities for the Future
Construction and testing of the Gentrification Worldview Instrument
Primary data collection that is generalizable and applicable on a large scale would benefit gentrification research, as more stakeholders’ perspectives could be gathered. Thus, an instrument measuring gentrification worldview was constructed and tested for inter-item relationships, through survey pretesting, exploratory factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis. The Gentrification Worldview Instrument (GWI) is a set of evaluative beliefs …
Assessing the relationship between community engagement and perceived ownership of an urban park in Philadelphia
Urban parks provide many benefits, though evidence of environmental injustice associated with certain park investments is growing. Some cities fail to engage communities in park planning, which can reduce residents’ sense of ownership of new and renovated parks and disconnect them from the neighborhood social fabric. Thus, this study assessed the outcomes of resident engagement with an urban park nonprofit located in a low-income community of col…
Connecting children to nature through residential outdoor environmental education
Connecting to nature and spending time outdoors as children have been indicated as predictors of environmentally responsible behavior. This study examined whether a residential outdoor environmental education (ROEE) program contributed to the development of children’s connection to nature and their attitudes and involvement in spending time outdoors. Fifth-grade students (n = 163) in Pennsylvania enrolled in a multi-day ROEE program completed pre…
Assessing the relationship between community engagement and perceived ownership of an urban park in Philadelphia
Urban parks provide many benefits, though evidence of environmental injustice associated with certain park investments is growing. Some cities fail to engage communities in park planning, which can reduce residents’ sense of ownership of new and renovated parks and disconnect them from the neighborhood social fabric. Thus, this study assessed the outcomes of resident engagement with an urban park nonprofit located in a low-income community of col…
Can urban parks bridge deep divides? Assessing the effects of inter-racial social interaction in parks and public spaces on trust
The ability of urban parks and public spaces to address distrust and social isolation needs to be rigorously tested, as the predominance of such claims may crowd out discussions of environmental racism and structural inequality. This study tested some commonly stated claims about parks’ influence on social well-being using a survey of residents in St. Louis, Missouri. We tested relationships between park and public space visitation frequency, pos…
Exploring the conditions that promote intergroup contact at urban parks
Urban parks have the potential to serve as places that facilitate intergroup contact between racially and ethnically diverse users. However, there is limited evidence identifying the conditions under which intergroup contact occurs in urban park settings. Existing literature suggests that the psychosocial conditions of safety, community engagement, psychological ownership, and sense of welcome and belonging may be related to park-based intergroup…
It brings the community together: Benefits from local park and recreation renovations
As public dollars for parks and recreation become increasingly scarce, empirical evidence of community benefits from capital investments becomes more important. However, measuring impacts of parks and recreation investments can be costly and difficult for local park agencies. This study presents an alternative approach to assessing community response to parks and recreation center renovations. Results of three renovation case studies indicate fav…
Climate change adaptation plans: Inclusion of health, equity, and green space
We examined the extent to which cities’ climate change adaptation plans, in U.S. cities broadly and in shrinking cities, discuss health equity/justice, including injustices related to green spaces. Using content analysis of 88 cities’ climate change adaptation plans, we coded for health, equity/justice, parks/green space, and joint usage of these terms. We made comparisons of keyword usage between shrinking and non-shrinking cities to examine how…
Critical discourse analysis of urban park and public space development
Urban parks, the growth machine, and the media: An analysis of press coverage of the high line, klyde warren park, and the rail park
News media have the power to influence public opinion and economic growth. News coverage of landmark urban parks may influence public support of such parks, potentially increasing economic growth. However, some landmark urban parks have been associated with gentrification and displacement. News media may implicitly support local economic growth to the detriment of vulnerable residents through uncritical, positive coverage of park projects. Howeve…
Gentrification Beliefs and Attitudes Towards Park and Recreation Agency Actions Intended to Support People Experiencing Homelessness
After declining from historically high levels following the Great Recession, homelessness in the United States is again on the rise due to an increase in the prevalence of unsheltered homelessness, and homeless encampments in public spaces such as parks. As such, there is significant interest in understanding opinion regarding community park agency activities intended to support unhoused users. Unfortunately, these actions and investments may als…
Attitudes Towards Unhoused Park Users and Preferences for Public Space Management: Applying the Potential for Conflict Index 2 Approach
Construction and testing of the Gentrification Worldview Instrument
Primary data collection that is generalizable and applicable on a large scale would benefit gentrification research, as more stakeholders’ perspectives could be gathered. Thus, an instrument measuring gentrification worldview was constructed and tested for inter-item relationships, through survey pretesting, exploratory factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis. The Gentrification Worldview Instrument (GWI) is a set of evaluative beliefs …
Short-term rentals, resilience, and gentrification
Looking for a White Male Effect in Generation Z: Race, Gender, and Political Effects on Environmental Concern and Ambivalence
The “White male effect” has been presented in past literature as a way to explain the tendency for White males to have lower environmental concern and risk perceptions than female and non-White individuals. Recently, research has proposed the “White male effect” may be a “conservative White male effect,” due to findings that political ideology impacts environmental concern. This study used a sample of young college-educated adults from Generation…
Can environmental education increase student-athletes’ environmental behaviors
Environmental education was incorporated within a mentoring program (i.e. treatment group) for student-athletes at the University of Georgia. These student-athletes’ environmental attitudes, behavioral intent, knowledge, self-efficacy, self-regulatory learning, motivation, and learning strategies were assessed before and after their environmental education mentoring program. Results indicated student-athletes in the treatment group improved their…
Can environmental education increase student-athletes’ environmental behaviors
Environmental education was incorporated within a mentoring program (i.e. treatment group) for student-athletes at the University of Georgia. These student-athletes’ environmental attitudes, behavioral intent, knowledge, self-efficacy, self-regulatory learning, motivation, and learning strategies were assessed before and after their environmental education mentoring program. Results indicated student-athletes in the treatment group improved their…
Connecting children to nature through residential outdoor environmental education
Connecting to nature and spending time outdoors as children have been indicated as predictors of environmentally responsible behavior. This study examined whether a residential outdoor environmental education (ROEE) program contributed to the development of children’s connection to nature and their attitudes and involvement in spending time outdoors. Fifth-grade students (n = 163) in Pennsylvania enrolled in a multi-day ROEE program completed pre…
Looking for a White Male Effect in Generation Z: Race, Gender, and Political Effects on Environmental Concern and Ambivalence
The “White male effect” has been presented in past literature as a way to explain the tendency for White males to have lower environmental concern and risk perceptions than female and non-White individuals. Recently, research has proposed the “White male effect” may be a “conservative White male effect,” due to findings that political ideology impacts environmental concern. This study used a sample of young college-educated adults from Generation…
It brings the community together: Benefits from local park and recreation renovations
As public dollars for parks and recreation become increasingly scarce, empirical evidence of community benefits from capital investments becomes more important. However, measuring impacts of parks and recreation investments can be costly and difficult for local park agencies. This study presents an alternative approach to assessing community response to parks and recreation center renovations. Results of three renovation case studies indicate fav…
Assessing the relationship between community engagement and perceived ownership of an urban park in Philadelphia
Urban parks provide many benefits, though evidence of environmental injustice associated with certain park investments is growing. Some cities fail to engage communities in park planning, which can reduce residents’ sense of ownership of new and renovated parks and disconnect them from the neighborhood social fabric. Thus, this study assessed the outcomes of resident engagement with an urban park nonprofit located in a low-income community of col…
Environmental Justice, Gentrification, and Leisure: A Systematic Review and Opportunities for the Future
Construction and testing of the Gentrification Worldview Instrument
Primary data collection that is generalizable and applicable on a large scale would benefit gentrification research, as more stakeholders’ perspectives could be gathered. Thus, an instrument measuring gentrification worldview was constructed and tested for inter-item relationships, through survey pretesting, exploratory factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis. The Gentrification Worldview Instrument (GWI) is a set of evaluative beliefs …
Psychological impacts from Covid-19 among university students: Risk factors across seven states in the United States
Background University students are increasingly recognized as a vulnerable population, suffering from higher levels of anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and disordered eating compared to the general population. Therefore, when the nature of their educational experience radically changes—such as sheltering in place during the COVID-19 pandemic—the burden on the mental health of this vulnerable population is amplified. The objectives of this st…
Centering environmental justice: Gentrification beliefs, attitudes, and support of park development in a shrinking city
Does public support of urban park development stem from gentrification beliefs and attitudes
Urban parks, the growth machine, and the media: An analysis of press coverage of the high line, klyde warren park, and the rail park
News media have the power to influence public opinion and economic growth. News coverage of landmark urban parks may influence public support of such parks, potentially increasing economic growth. However, some landmark urban parks have been associated with gentrification and displacement. News media may implicitly support local economic growth to the detriment of vulnerable residents through uncritical, positive coverage of park projects. Howeve…
Can urban parks bridge deep divides? Assessing the effects of inter-racial social interaction in parks and public spaces on trust
The ability of urban parks and public spaces to address distrust and social isolation needs to be rigorously tested, as the predominance of such claims may crowd out discussions of environmental racism and structural inequality. This study tested some commonly stated claims about parks’ influence on social well-being using a survey of residents in St. Louis, Missouri. We tested relationships between park and public space visitation frequency, pos…
Exploring the conditions that promote intergroup contact at urban parks
Urban parks have the potential to serve as places that facilitate intergroup contact between racially and ethnically diverse users. However, there is limited evidence identifying the conditions under which intergroup contact occurs in urban park settings. Existing literature suggests that the psychosocial conditions of safety, community engagement, psychological ownership, and sense of welcome and belonging may be related to park-based intergroup…
Cultivating social capital in diverse, low-income neighborhoods: The value of parks for parents with young children
“Messy transitions”: Students’ perspectives on the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on higher education
Climate change adaptation plans: Inclusion of health, equity, and green space
We examined the extent to which cities’ climate change adaptation plans, in U.S. cities broadly and in shrinking cities, discuss health equity/justice, including injustices related to green spaces. Using content analysis of 88 cities’ climate change adaptation plans, we coded for health, equity/justice, parks/green space, and joint usage of these terms. We made comparisons of keyword usage between shrinking and non-shrinking cities to examine how…
Critical discourse analysis of urban park and public space development
What Floodplain Managers Want: Using Weather and Climate Information for Decision-Making
As a result of climate change, extreme precipitation events are likely to become more common in Oklahoma, requiring cities and municipalities to plan for managing this extra water. There are multiple types of practitioners within communities who are responsible for overseeing planning for the future, including stormwater and floodplain management. These practitioners may be able to integrate weather and climate information into their decision-mak…
Short-term rentals, resilience, and gentrification
Influence of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Students’ Social Experience: A Cross-Sectional Qualitative Study across Seven Universities in the U.S
The COVID-19 pandemic affected and continues to modify students’ social life and as a result may impact their long-term development. This study is a part of a larger research project focused on the psychological impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on university students. For this manuscript, we employed content analysis to analyze 1,327 quotes related to changes in social experiences and outcomes related to these changes from a sample of 1,099 stude…
The Role of Social Contact in Public Perceptions of Homelessness in Parks and Public Spaces
Unsheltered homelessness – in which people reside in parks or on streets – is on the rise and poses a challenge for municipal parks and recreation agencies. Simultaneously, public opinion on homelessness has softened in recent years and may be misaligned with park agency practices. This study measured public attitudes on homelessness and on park agency involvement in addressing homelessness, using intergroup contact theory. Prior experience with …
Unhoused users in parks and public greenspace: An intergroup conflict approach
Like other user groups, people experiencing homelessness utilize parks and other public spaces for a variety of reasons, including recreation/leisure, physical activity, socializing, and to enjoy time in nature. However, unlike other user groups, unhoused park users also often rely on parks as a setting to engage in a variety of necessary metabolic and biophysical functions. Despite the centrality of these places to both unhoused and housed membe…
Advancing green space equity via policy change: A scoping review and research agenda
Urban green spaces – including parks, trees, and other vegetated areas – are inequitably distributed in cities worldwide, as underserved groups, such as low-income and people of color, have significantly lower provisions of such resources. Motivated by the health benefits of green spaces, advocates and policymakers in several countries have sought to ameliorate these systemic inequities by implementing green space equity initiatives. Many such in…
Gentrification Beliefs and Attitudes Towards Park and Recreation Agency Actions Intended to Support People Experiencing Homelessness
After declining from historically high levels following the Great Recession, homelessness in the United States is again on the rise due to an increase in the prevalence of unsheltered homelessness, and homeless encampments in public spaces such as parks. As such, there is significant interest in understanding opinion regarding community park agency activities intended to support unhoused users. Unfortunately, these actions and investments may als…
Attitudes Towards Unhoused Park Users and Preferences for Public Space Management: Applying the Potential for Conflict Index 2 Approach
Political science (19 works) · Sociology (18 works) · Geography (17 works) · Psychology (13 works) · Urban Green Space and Health (13 works) · Economics (11 works) · Environmental planning (10 works) · Business (8 works) · Economic growth (8 works) · Place Attachment and Urban Studies (8 works)