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<p>While smart city initiatives proliferate globally, their impact on resident wellbeing remains contentious, often critiqued for prioritizing technological hardware over human-centric outcomes. Existing research frequently conflates technological efficacy with institutional transparency, obscuring the distinct psychological mechanisms linking digital governance to quality of life. Addressing this theoretical gap, this study employs a semi-longitudinal design to disentangle the differential effects of smart governance dimensions on resident wellbeing, specifically examining the mediating role of institutional trust. Results from structural equation modeling reveal that while both technological efficacy and institutional transparency predict wellbeing, transparency exerts a substantially stronger influence. Mediation analysis confirms that institutional trust serves as the primary psychological mechanism, translating governance experiences into subjective wellbeing. Notably, these effects remain robust after controlling for digital literacy, suggesting that the benefits of transparent governance extend across the digital divide. These findings challenge the prevailing techno-centric paradigm, advocating for a “visible governance” approach where institutional openness is prioritized over mere digital efficiency to foster enduring urban social trust and happiness.</p>

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How Smart Governance Shapes Resident Wellbeing: The Mediating Role of Institutional Trust

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月24日

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  • Yang Xin,
  • Hu Weina,
  • Deng Yan,
  • Deng Shusheng

摘要

While smart city initiatives proliferate globally, their impact on resident wellbeing remains contentious, often critiqued for prioritizing technological hardware over human-centric outcomes. Existing research frequently conflates technological efficacy with institutional transparency, obscuring the distinct psychological mechanisms linking digital governance to quality of life. Addressing this theoretical gap, this study employs a semi-longitudinal design to disentangle the differential effects of smart governance dimensions on resident wellbeing, specifically examining the mediating role of institutional trust. Results from structural equation modeling reveal that while both technological efficacy and institutional transparency predict wellbeing, transparency exerts a substantially stronger influence. Mediation analysis confirms that institutional trust serves as the primary psychological mechanism, translating governance experiences into subjective wellbeing. Notably, these effects remain robust after controlling for digital literacy, suggesting that the benefits of transparent governance extend across the digital divide. These findings challenge the prevailing techno-centric paradigm, advocating for a “visible governance” approach where institutional openness is prioritized over mere digital efficiency to foster enduring urban social trust and happiness.