Research on the Variable Factors Influencing the Vitality of Commercial Districts Based on the SOR Theory Model

The development of commercial districts is increasingly linked to various aspects of urban space, including high-quality urban development, social vitality, and the well-being of residents. This study constructs an SOR (Stimulus-Organism-Response) theory model and employs methods such as space syntax, mixed POI diversity measurement, streetscape semantic segmentation, and kernel density estimation. The current spatial morphology of the districts is treated as stimulus variables, individuals’ behavioral perceptions as the organism, and the varying degrees of vitality in commercial districts as behavioral responses. The objective is to assess the extent to which variable factors impact the vitality of commercial districts and to explore how specific variables influence people’s choices through their behavior, psychology, and comfort level, ultimately reflecting in the crowd density in these commercial areas. By observing the vitality levels of the districts and conducting comparative cross-analyses of various variable factors, this research reveals that cultural and historical significance, spatial openness, and the density of functional formats significantly enhance people’s behavior, psychology, and comfort. Other influencing factors also appear to have a positive effect to varying degrees. This study offers insights into contemporary strategies for revitalizing commercial districts and improving their design, thus providing stronger methodological references for high-quality urban spatial development.