Place attachment
[6] Due to numerous varying opinions on the definition and components of place attachment, organizational models have been scarce until recent years.
When emotional experiences linked to place attachment are explored and processed collectively, this leads to a sense of solidarity, connection, and community engagement.
[11] Drawing from attachment theory, affective bonds are thought to arise out of relationships that provide for functional needs, like security and wellbeing.
[10] Researchers have coined a number of terms based on familiarity, including "settlement identity"[14] and "generic place dependence.
"[15] Behavior is the physical manifestation of place attachment and can represent the cognitive and affective elements that an individual possesses in their person-place bonds.
[3][22] Hidalgo and Hernández (2001) studied levels of attachment based on different dimensions and found that while social aspects were stronger than physical ones, both affected the overall person-place bond.
[23] Place dependence negatively correlates with environmental press, which can be defined as the demands and stresses that an environment puts on people physically, interpersonally, or socially.
[10] The home has long been studied as a place of attachment, with scholars recognizing the affective bonds people develop to their residence.
[7] Fried postulated that this pointed to the spatial and social significance of the home and sense of continuity it creates for individuals' everyday routines and relationships.
[3] Further, territoriality, the ability to exercise control over the space, is thought to be a central feature of the attachment to the home in that it embodies privacy.
[7] Neighborhoods are community areas without officially constructed borders, the boundaries for which are primarily construed by individual residents based on amenities and points of interest within walking distance.
[25] For ordinary landscapes, that attachment is often one of biological utility (i.e. ones that offer food and shelter), cultural significance, or experience within an individual’s lifetime (particularly childhood).
Scholars have noted relationships between attachment and environmental stewardship; for example, increased likelihood of recycling and limiting water use, support for recreational areas, and engagement with community organizations.
For example, the home, a popular object of attachment, typically possesses a safe or familiar indoor environment and an outdoor space that satisfies desires to explore and expand knowledge.
As a result of this balance between exploration and attachment behavior, children receive positive reinforcements in the forms of connectedness and a sense of adventure and mastery.
[8] There is a desire among researchers to create a list of concrete variables that account for differing extents of place attachment among individuals.
For many immigrants and refugees, functional dependence on a place—such as relying on it for basic needs like housing and employment—precedes the emotional connection associated with place identity.
[30] This process is influenced by several factors, including the presence of familiar cultural or environmental elements that can help migrants feel more connected to their new surroundings.
For bicultural migrants, the coexistence of cultural markers from both their country of origin and their new environment can accelerate the development of place identity by fostering a sense of continuity and belonging.
[31] Defined as a functional relationship based on the conditions provided for a place in order to satisfy the needs of a person or accomplish a specific goal.
[33] Psychometric and Likert scales are the most commonly used quantitative methods for different dimensions of place attachment, such as belongingness and identity.
When an interactive experience with three-dimensional space does not match these developed expectations, an individual adapts his or her understanding of place through learning and sensory input.
[36] More specifically, additions of buildings or monuments[36] and creation of outdoor recreational spaces[4] must be well-aligned with a community’s place attachment to prevent backlash from inhabitants that do not agree with the intended land developments.
[36] In addition to environmental press, place attachment in senior communities is heavily influenced by subjective dimensions of well-being, such as autonomy, control, and a sense of identity.
Studies show that place attachment can mitigate the negative impacts of low economic status on well-being by providing emotional support, self-esteem, and mutual respect.
For instance, social interactions within the community, including neighborhood activities and leisure in green spaces, have been found to increase place attachment, particularly for low-income seniors.
Furthermore, a strong sense of place attachment can help reduce the detrimental effects of environmental stressors and improve overall mental health and quality of life among elderly individuals.
