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MODELING PLACE ATTACHMENT IN TWO NEIGHBORHOODS OF COLUMBUS, OHIO

Nikrahei, Bardia

Abstract Details

2015, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, City and Regional Planning.
Researchers in social sciences have studied place attachment. Although, some researchers view place attachment as multidimensional, others view it as one dimensional. The simplest multidimensional models include two dimensions of place dependence and place identity. However, other studies have added other dimensions to this construct. Research has focused more on personal, social and demographic dimensions than on the physical attributes of the environment. Furthermore, studies which include physical attributes tend to examine the perceived features, possibly overlooking the impact of physical environment. Studies also overlook spatial patterns, particularly in urban settings. This dissertation has three objectives. It assesses the factoral construct of place attachment. It builds conceptual place attachment models which center on physical and social attributes. It studies the spatial distribution of place attachment and its underlying factors in the sample area. This dissertation gathers data through mail survey, Google map Street-View, and GIS spatial analysis. The surveys asks residents to rate their place attachment levels towards their respective neighborhood, their social attributes, and then to draw their neighborhood boundaries and special places on the paper maps. I collected 143 valid survey responses from two neighborhoods, Italian Village and University Area, in Columbus, Ohio. I used Google Street-View observations to assess the conditions of fixed physical attributes on the block edges facing the streets (excluding back alleys). I also used ArcGIS, as a complementary means, to measure various physical attributes. Confirmatory factor analysis reveals a four-factoral structure of place attachment. The analysis used structural equation models to create the conceptual models of place attachment, and it finds statistically significant direct and indirect effects of physical and social attributes on place attachment. Finally, using spatial autocorrelation analysis, this study finds spatial clustering in place attachment and its underlying factors. Overall, the findings support the role of physical environment on place attachment. Findings can help planners and urban designers in creating desirable places for residents and visitors. Planners can use findings on place attachment to develop design guidelines and evoke higher level of attachment to guide future designs at place or area scale.
Nasar Jack (Advisor)
Evans-Cowley Jennifer (Committee Member)
Cudeck Robert (Committee Member)
176 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Nikrahei, B. (2015). MODELING PLACE ATTACHMENT IN TWO NEIGHBORHOODS OF COLUMBUS, OHIO [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1439046723

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Nikrahei, Bardia. MODELING PLACE ATTACHMENT IN TWO NEIGHBORHOODS OF COLUMBUS, OHIO. 2015. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1439046723.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Nikrahei, Bardia. "MODELING PLACE ATTACHMENT IN TWO NEIGHBORHOODS OF COLUMBUS, OHIO." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1439046723

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)