Social Psychology, Place Attachment, Place Identity

This study inquires the possible creation of a sense of a place in coffee houses for the disabled people as public places. The physical characteristics of a space are the main factors allowing all people including the disabled ones as well to perceive that place properly and within the ''person, place and interaction process'' framework. The place attachment, which can be defined as the main emotional bond between space and the users, is heavily influenced by the individualistic experiences and reactions whether they are ordinary or differently abled. In order to initiate a place attachment, spaces should be designed in a way that they respect the occupant's perception, feelings, memories, senses and their physical abilities to enable them to develop a sense of belonging and ownership. Therefore, creating designs which foster people's construction process of sense of a place that comprises the concept of identity and sense of belonging, is among the essential issues for realizing place attachment in architecture and design of public spaces. In our contemporary world, there are settings that possess these qualities; contrariwise there are more architectural and urban spaces which ignore these qualities and their benefits for people, especially for the disabled ones. Relatedly, a building should offer people enough information for perceiving it and with its physical features should also support the experiences that occur in it. There is a strong link between memorable events and the space where those events occur. An environment which provides outstanding and meaningful ambiance by its architectural characteristics can establish a sense of a place. Disabled people often have less opportunities to experience the spaces properly compared to others because their limitations are not taken into consideration when designing the public spaces. Therefore, the design process of public spaces should involve the basic needs of disabled people. In order to propose a typology for traditional coffee houses, this research aims to define and discuss the place attachment experience of disabled people in public spaces. The study begins with an overview of identifying different types of disabilities and special needs, and an introductory discussion of how space attachment can help to meet those needs. Therefore, the physical, social and typological aspects of traditional coffee houses were evaluated in terms of location, space organization and functions by considering the profiles of disabled users. Methodologically, this is a case study, which has a mixed research design including qualitative and quantitative research instruments.

The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate how powerful experiences of place shape one’s sense of self. The human–place relationship is germane to today’s rapidly changing global landscape of political instability, conflict, climate change, population growth, and lack of opportunity, all of which are increasing human displacement, migration, and mobility. Further exploration of place identity is thus relevant to addressing these issues. This interdisciplinary study examined the literature in sense of place, sense of self, place identity, and transformative experiences. The research question was: How do powerful experiences of place form, inform, and transform one’s sense of self?
This qualitative study used Finlay and Evans’s (2009) phenomenological Relational Approach. The data sources were in-depth interviews with 8 participants, selected through purposive and snowball sampling. Interview were conducted in 2 parts. The first part uncovered participants’ essential descriptions and meanings of powerfully transformative experiences of place. 6 themes emerged: (a) natural elements and geography, (b) community, roots, and belonging, (c) aliveness, wholeness, and the cycle of life, (d) freedom, adventure, and escape, (e) possibility, becoming, liminality, and the unknown, and (f) enchantment, the sacred, and coherence. Data from the second part were categorized by how experiences formed, informed, or transformed participants’ sense of self and life path. 5 dimensions of experiences were also noted: peak, plateau, nadir, epiphany, and liminal states. Further analysis revealed 4 larger patterns. The first pattern was an opposing tension of forces between participants’ sense of self-continuity and change, based on 3 meta themes of The Known, The Unknown, and The Balancing Present. The second pattern related to participants’ seeking similar place experiences. The third pattern noted variations in dimensions of experiences across the lifespan. The fourth pattern pointed to participants’ felt-sense of coherence and spirituality.
This study contributes to a greater understanding of how powerful experiences of place form, inform, and transform individuals’ relationships with themselves, others, and the larger world. Implications indicate a need for the cultivation of greater awareness of the people–place relationship toward a more coherent partnership. Further research into co-affecting factors influencing place identity formation and development is needed.

Residents' overall well-being and quality-of-life require a deeper understanding of their perceived social impacts of tourism to determine appropriate management strategies to promote behaviours in support of tourism development. Aligning with the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development, this paper proposes a new framework for residents' quality-of-life. Bringing together multi-disciplinary evidence from environmental, social and cognitive psychology, political science and tourism, this study critically examines how residents' perceived social impacts of tourism and their interpersonal trust can make them become more place attached and protect their tourism resources. The framework proposes that residents' perceived social impacts of tourism exerts a direct influence on residents' interpersonal trust. It further posits that residents' perceived social impacts of tourism and their interpersonal trust exert a direct influence on residents' place attachment. The proposed model further considers place attachment to exert a direct influence on residents' pro-social and pro-environmental behavioural intentions. Prosocial behaviour is proposed to influence pro-environmental behaviour. Further pro-social and pro-environmental behaviours are proposed to influence residents' support for tourism development. The framework then considers residents' support for tourism development to exert a direct influence on residents' overall quality-of-life. The theoretical contributions, practical implications for sustainable community tourism and sustainable tourism in general and the limitations of the study are discussed.

In contemporary globalised cities it has become increasingly important, for those of us who live in monotonous so-called cloned-environments, to find a sense of place we can identify with. When ties between inhabitants and places are disrupted, people are estranged from their neighbourhoods. As a result, not only people's relations with places are harmed, but also their social relations are affected, leading to isolation, alienation and socioeconomic disruption.

Syrians have been fleeing to Turkey since 2011 due to the ongoing civil war and conflict in Syria. This study focuses on displaced and forcibly migrated Syrians’ practices of appropriation in the process of remaking home. The purpose of the study is to define means of appropriation regarding Syrians’ cultural, psychological, and spatial needs for their residential interiors during relocation. Thus, Sultanbeyli, a district of Istanbul, was exemplified as a case. The data were obtained from volunteer Syrian families in their home environments through visual methods and interviews. According to the results, appropriation has a crucial role in meeting Syrians’ needs for personalization, reflection of identity, belonging to a particular place, and self-expression of both communal and individual spatial and object-based placements. This study intends to generate and disseminate new knowledge for designers, researchers, policymakers, and the public regarding Syrians’ appropriation needs to provide more livable and supportive living environments.
Keywords: Appropriation, forced migration, place attachment, remaking home, residential interiors.

El presente artículo es el resultado de una investigación cualitativa con diseño exploratorio-descriptivo que responde a la pregunta sobre cómo es la relación entre apego de lugar y participación local en los integrantes de una agrupación local autogestionada. Se realizó una revisión teórica desde la psicología ambiental, pasando por la comprensión del concepto de apego de lugar y el de participación local hasta el de defensa del territorio. Se efectuaron cinco entrevistas semiestructuradas con su consecuente análisis de contenido, que entregaron como resultados que la relación existente entre apego de lugar y participación local se describe como dinámica y bidireccional, puesto que se influyen uno a otro constantemente a través de mecanismos siempre cambiantes. Por otro lado, fue posible observar el carácter reaccionario de la participación, siendo la defensa del territorio uno de los principales articuladores entre la noción de apego y participación local. Palabras clave: psicología ambiental, apego de lugar, participación local, defensa del territorio.

Most philosophical analyses of place attachment and displacement have focused on our attachments to large-scale places, like cultural homelands or countries.  The aim of this essay, in contrast, is to attract attention to a kind of displacement that is under-examined in philosophy: moving home. In this article, I sketch an account of the harms of displacement from one’s home.  Using insights from the philosophy of mind, I explain how moving house can be burdensome for individuals and families on multiple cognitive levels, because the home serves as part of our extended mind.  The essay proceeds by first, defending the claim that a decrease in cognitive functionality is a pro tanto, extrinsic harm.  Next, I use extended mind theory to explain how we can outsource cognitive functionality to our home environments.  Third, I employ this theory to explain how moving home could upset cognitive functionality.  Fourth, I highlight how vulnerable people, those without financial security or social stability, may be more susceptible to experience the harms of moving house than non-vulnerable people.  Finally, I suggest that this research can be a beneficial addition to the philosophical debate on displacement.