ABSTRACT
Community identity is consistently linked to community participation, yet the directionality of this relationship, specifically its within-person dynamics, remains unclear. Theoretical frameworks posit community identity as a precursor to, a byproduct of, or a mutual reinforcer of community participation. We tested these theories using a three-wave longitudinal design with 1-month intervals among 508 Chinese urban residents. Random intercept cross-lagged panel models revealed a positive between-person linkage between community identity and community participation. Within-person increases in community identity predicted subsequent increases in participation, whereas the reverse path was non-significant. These associations held when analyses controlled for marital status, educational background, personal income, subjective socioeconomic status and trait self-control, and they generalised across gender and age. These findings highlight that, at the within-person level, community identity acts primarily as a precursor to community participation in the short term, thereby offering a more nuanced understanding of their complex temporal dynamics.