Size and type of places, geographical region, satisfaction with life, age, sex and place attachment

Abstract

Abstract The topic of the article concerns the issue of place attachment and its determinants. An analysis of place attachment was performed in terms of place identity and place dependence (Williams, Vaske, 2003). Moreover, links between place attachment and selected geographical (size and type of place, geographical region), demographic (age, sex) and psychological (satisfaction with life) variables were investigated. The study group included 759 respondents: 398 women and 361 men, aged 18-83 years, residing in 74 places in the Silesian Province, a region in Poland: in 10 sub-regions in the Upper Silesian conurbation and outside the conurbation. The study used the Place Attachment Scale (Williams, Vaske, 2003), the Satisfaction with Life Scale (Diener, Emmons, Larsen, Griffin, 1985) and a personal information section containing questions regarding place of permanent residence, sex and age. Results showed that subjects residing in smaller and non-industrial places had a stronger place attachment than those residing in larger and industrial cities. People living outside the Upper Silesian conurbation were more strongly attached to their place of residence in terms of place identity than those residing in the Upper Silesian conurbation. People living in the Zagłębie (industrial) sub-region were more strongly attached in terms of place dependence than those residing in the Bytom sub-region (devastated with high unemployment). Satisfaction with life was positively correlated with place attachment. Older subjects were more strongly attached to their place of residence. Men and women did not differ in the sense of place attachment and life satisfaction.