Citizens' preferences for urban planning participation processes: A latent class analysis

support, contributing to the functioning of democracy. For an inclusive and representative participation process,
it is important to involve a diverse group of citizens. However, certain groups (older, resourceful participants
with political know-how) are consistently overrepresented in participation processes, creating a biased input and
reducing democratic legitimacy. It is therefore important to study how to increase the likelihood of different
groups of citizens to participate and this is particularly important for the currently understudied Dutch context.
To add to the current knowledge based on mostly qualitative research, the quantitative method of an online
stated choice experiment was applied. Rooted in utility theory, respondents chose eight times between two
processes that varied on attributes such as location setting, frequency, and feedback. Data (n = 308) were
analyzed using a Latent Class model, distinguishing subgroups with distinct preferences in society. Results
suggest that in general, initiators should provide feedback about the outcomes and decision-making process and
the process should not be too demanding. Moreover, two distinct ‘types’ of citizens are identified: the engaged
and the passive citizens. Specifically targeting passive citizens can be done by designing a participation process
tailored to their preferences: a short and individual process. The findings of this study help organizing participation
processes in ways that increase the chances of activating the currently passive citizens and thereby
engagement of a more diverse group of citizens and a more inclusive and representative participation process.