Dimensions Of Place Attachment Research Articles

Analysis of the Mediating Role of Place Attachment in the Link between Tourists’ Authentic Experiences of, Involvement in, and Loyalty to Rural Tourism

The sustainable development of rural tourism is conducive to awakening “sleeping” resources, upgrading the industrial structure in rural areas, enhancing the revitalization ability of rural areas, accelerating the construction of cultural tourism, and promoting the strategy of rural revitalization. The loyalty of tourists has been considered as an important construct to describe the relationship between rural tourism growth and travelers’ future behavioral intentions. This study aims to integrate the relationship between authentic experience, involvement, place attachment, and loyalty into rural tourism research. The results of the study showed that tourists’ authentic experience and tourism participation have a significantly positive effect on place identity and place dependence (two different dimensions of place attachment), and authentic experience significantly positively affects involvement. Place identity and place dependence greatly and positively affect tourist loyalty. Furthermore, place dependence and place identity play a comprehensive mediating role in the relationship between authentic experience, involvement, and loyalty. The research findings provide a theoretical foundation and a point of reference for rural destinations in developing additional strategies and initiatives.

Been there, done that? Effects of centrality-to-lifestyle and experience use history on angling tourists’ loyalty to a Swedish salmon fishery

The incorporation of theories and methods from tourism research in recreational fisheries research is not common practice, despite many parallels between the two research fields. Adopting a tourism perspective could contribute to our understanding of angling tourists' attitudes and preferences and help identify the factors affecting the recruitment and retention of anglers. The concept of destination loyalty reflects a tourist's intention to revisit or recommend a destination, and provides a suitable avenue for studying (repeated) visits to a fishing destination. This study assessed the destination loyalty of angling tourists targeting Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar L.) and sea trout ( Salmo trutta L.) at the Mörrum river in southern Sweden. A structural equation model validated positive relationships between the psychological dimensions of destination image, satisfaction, place attachment and destination loyalty. In addition, centrality of the angling activity to the anglers' life was identified as a precursor of place attachment and subsequent loyalty. Moreover, anglers with a high experience use history for fishing at Mörrum scored higher than other anglers on several of the indicators for image, satisfaction, place attachment and loyalty. These results show how applying a tourism perspective to traditional recreational fisheries research may help to explain angler loyalty to a recreational fishery, which ultimately contributes to the management of visitor numbers and experiences. The measurement model used in this study can inform future studies involving angling destination loyalty and contribute to creating a universal measurement scale for this construct and its antecedents. Finally, this study holds several implications for fishing destination marketing and management in terms of supporting diversification of the visiting angler population and the experiences the destination provides. The model presented in this study highlights the importance of destination image in promoting satisfaction, place attachment and ultimately destination loyalty in a fishing destination. Moreover, we discuss how understanding angler heterogeneity may inform selective marketing efforts and promote loyalty in a variety of anglers. Additionally, we suggest how improving catch and non-catch related destination attributes could enhance the quality of the fishing experience as a whole, which improves satisfaction and fosters place attachment. • Fishing destination loyalty depends on image, satisfaction and place attachment. • High-centrality anglers are more likely to attach, which increases their loyalty. • Image and satisfaction of Mörrum specialists differ from place-generalists. • Destination improvement should focus on the whole experience, not just the fishing.

How does place attachment affect word-of-mouth?: Evidence from a street with emerging cafes

This study aims to reveal the relationship between place attachment, place satisfaction and word-of-mouth communication. The context of the study is a street with emerging cafes in a small city that serves as the most important alternative for locals and visitors to spend their leisure. The data obtained from 443 individuals who participated in the survey were tested through PLS-SEM. The findings indicate that place dependence, place affect, and place social bonding directly influence place satisfaction, which is an important antecedent of word-of-mouth communication. These dimensions of place attachment indirectly affect the word-of-mouth communications of individuals, whereas place identity does not have a direct or indirect effect. Within this context, indirect-only mediation and complementary mediation roles of place satisfaction were discovered. These findings are discussed within the context of the study, and both theoretical and practical contributions are introduced.

Understanding place attachment in temporary public space through noematic-noetic synthesis

To create a successful temporary public space that can sustain in dealing with the contemporary changes, particularly during this pandemic era which is full of uncertainty, the degree of people’s attachment to that place should be maintained. It is simply because the more the public space is needed, the more users will use the space, and a sense of belonging will grow to help maintain its sustainability afterward. The temporality aspect of time, nevertheless, can affect the growth of a person’s place attachment. Using Husserl’s phenomenological analysis of noema and noesis, this qualitative study intends to understand the place attachment development in one of the notorious temporary public spaces in Indonesia, a Ramadan street market, particularly in Batam. Direct observation and semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect the data regarding the theoretical framework of place attachment obtained from the literature review. This study reveals that, through the noematic synthesis, the external dimensions (physical characteristic) most likely lead to functional attachment or place dependence. Whilst through the noetic synthesis, the psychological attachment or place identity of the temporary public space can be influenced by the internal dimensions of place attachment (social intercourse, social cohesion, and social symbol).

The relationship between place attachment and tourist loyalty: A meta-analysis

Though place attachment has been recognized as a key factor to promote the loyalty of tourists and contribute to the sustainable development of destinations, there is still insufficient evidence to prove the positive impact of local attachment on tourist loyalty. This study mainly focuses on quantifying the effects of place attachment on tourist loyalty and examines the underlying factors that may explain the inconsistent phenomena among previous empirical studies. We systematically screen previous related studies, and 56 independent studies are finally included. A comprehensive framework on place attachment and tourist loyalty is summarized and 22 different hypotheses are put forward from these 56 studies. The results obtained by the meta-analysis method reveal that: first, place attachment and its dimensions are positively related to tourist loyalty, which includes tourist behavior loyalty, attitude loyalty and composite loyalty. Second, the moderating effect of gender on the association of place dependence and revisit intention has been confirmed, while the moderating role of tourist cultural background and place attachment measurement scales is insignificant. Third, place identity has the strongest influence on tourist loyalty among other place attachment dimensions. Finally, the theoretical implication for tourism researchers and practical suggestions for destination managers are provided based on meta-analysis.

Ancestral Homeland Attachment

This study examined how ancestral homeland journeys affected a sense of attachment to Thailand among first- and second-generation Thai diasporas residing in Western countries as well as how these two generations differed in their place attachment. The four dimensions of place attachment (place identity, place dependence, social bonding, and affective attachment) were used as a framework for the investigation. A qualitative research approach was adopted in this study. Twenty-two Thai migrants currently living in Western countries who had visited Thailand were interviewed. The findings showed that diaspora tourism experiences helped these migrants reflect upon their sense of belonging to their ancestral homeland, leading them to feel more connected to the country. The first-generation tourists demonstrated a higher level of place attachment to Thailand than the second generation in all four dimensions of place attachment.

Indigenous people‘s attachment to traditional agroforestry system: An empirical insight from Churachandpur, Northeast India

Indigenous people in Northeast India are facing significant challenges due to policy measures aimed at outlawing the controversial practice of shifting cultivation (SC) in order to cope with the environmental degradation and forest conservation, though, it has so far been unsuccessful. Such measures tend to overlook the contribution of SC landscape to the social and cultural well-being of indigenous people. This article explores the place and place-based practice bonding, drawing on a survey from Churachandpur, Manipur, Northeast India. Through structured interviews of 90 households of 9 village clusters with SC practitioners and focused group discussions, we outline the way SC system is developing the sense of place and giving the individual and community identities, besides giving a specific place character associated with it. Principal component analysis of four dimensions of place attachment reveals that traditional institution bonding exerts the strongest influence (Cronbach alpha 0.97) on their decision to continue with SC. Scores for nature bonding, lack of alternate occupation and economic bonding were 0.94, 0.92 and 0.83, respectively. The study established that SC is strongly intertwined with the culture and social life of people who practice it. Social wellbeing of jhumias outweighs their economic reasons of attachment to SC and it would not be prudent to brand it merely as a form of agroforestry system.

Conservation Intentions and Place Attachment among Male and Female Forest Landowners*

AbstractForests offer critical social, economic, and ecological benefits. As fifty‐five percent of Georgia's forests are family‐owned, management decisions of these forest landowners have a considerable impact on the state's environment and beyond. So far, little is known about what drives the conservation intentions of forest landowners and how these drivers vary by gender. However, several studies outside the field of forestry have theorized that place attachment predicts pro‐environmental views and behaviors. To test this theory, we surveyed 1,143 family forest landowners in Georgia. Our results show that male landowners report stronger attachments to their forest, except for continuing family legacies which is of greater importance for female landowners. Regression models show that all dimensions of place attachments (dependence, identity, satisfaction, and family legacy) are strong predictors for conservation intentions in males. In contrast, the level of education and only a few dimensions (satisfaction and, to a lesser extent, dependence) of place attachment predict conservation intentions in females. As gender demographics in forest landowners are shifting and environmental degradation is an increasingly pressing concern, this study provides important insights and offers directions for further research for policymakers, researchers, and extension agents.

Explicating the microfoundation of SME pro-environmental operations: the role of top managers

PurposeBy recognizing the decisive role of top managers (TMs) of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), this study attempts to explicate the microfoundation of pro-environmental operations of SMEs by examining the influence of institutional pressure on managerial cognition and subsequent SME pro-environmental operations. This study highlights the personal ethics of TMs, so as to examine the moderating effect of TMs' place attachment on SMEs' pro-environmental operations.Design/methodology/approachEmpirical data are collected from a questionnaire survey of 509 SMEs in China. Hierarchical regression results are subject to cross-validation using secondary public data.FindingsThis study demonstrates that coercive and mimetic pressures have inverted U-shaped effects, whilst normative pressure has a U-shaped effect on the threat cognition of TMs. The results also show that TMs' threat cognition (as opposed to opportunity cognition) positively influences SMEs' pro-environmental operations. Moreover, both the emotional (place identity) and functional (place dependence) dimensions of place attachment have positive moderating effects on the relationship between threat cognition and SMEs' pro-environmental operations.Practical implicationsFindings of this study lead to important implications for practitioners such as regulators, policy makers and trade associations. Enabling better understanding of the nature of SMEs' pro-environmental operations, they allow for more targeted development and the provision of optimal institutional tools to promote such operations.Originality/valueThis study allows some important factors that differentiate SMEs from large firms to surface. These factors (i.e. institutional pressures, managerial cognition and place attachment) and the interactions between them form important constituents of the microfoundations of SMEs' pro-environmental operations.

Effects of Perceptions of Climate Change and Flood Risk on Coping Behavior: A Case Study of Taipei, Taiwan

Globalization and population growth have put great pressure on the environment over the last few decades, and climate change has increased associated negative effects. Researchers examine the interactions between human and the environment. Among them, the relationship between place attachment and pro-environmental behavior has attracted particular research attention. However, few studies have addressed the relationships among flood risk perceptions, place attachment, and climate change coping behavior in a densely populated urban area. This study examines the effects of perceptions of climate change and flood risk on coping behavioral intention, and determines whether place attachment plays a mediating or moderating role therein in Taipei, the flood-prone capital city of Taiwan. A total of 1208 questionnaires were collected. An analysis of the mediation effects based on a three-level regression model (Phase I) suggested that place attachment is not a mediator. Adjustment of the model and analysis of moderation effects using structural equation modeling (Phase II) suggested no moderation effect. In Phase III, the mediation effect was reexamined, with the replacement of dependent variables (adaptation/mitigation) with high-effort/low-effort coping behaviors, and one dimension of place attachment was replaced with four dimensions thereof (place dependence and place identity, place satisfaction, place affect, place social bonding). The results thus obtained reveal that the paths of place satisfaction exhibit significant mediating effects between attitudes and high-effort coping behavior. Some paths exhibit significant mediating effects between perceptions and low-effort coping behavior through place satisfaction. Another four paths exhibit partial significant mediating effects through place dependence and place identity and place social bonding. These results suggest that affective attachment of people to local places results in a behavioral tendency to protect or improve those places. The main contribution of this study is its support of meta-analyses of the effects of each dimension of place attachment to provide a better understanding of the effects of place attachment on flood risk perception and coping behavior.

The Effect of Place Attachment on Overseas Students' Tourism Ambassador Behavior: A Mediation Role of Life Satisfactionrdrd.

Life satisfaction is a research hotspot in positive psychology in recent years. This study uses overseas students as subjects and attempts to examine the effect of place attachment and student life satisfaction on Mainland Chinese students’ word-of-mouth (WOM) recommendations and their Ambassador Behavioral (AB) intention. A survey was systematically conducted in six institutions in Macao. The results of 312 valid data indicate that place dependence has a positive influence on place identity; place identity and place dependence have a positive influence on student life satisfaction; student life satisfaction mediates the influence of the two dimensions of place attachment on WOM and AB intention. Recommendations are provided to improve overseas students’ life satisfaction in the study places. It helps to improve their sense of ownership and actively participate in the construction of the study places.

Understanding Elderly’s Place Attachment in Urban Parks Setting

Urban designers, planners and policy-makers are working together to meet the emerging demands as cities in the developed countries are growing at an increased speed and intensity. Therefore, a socio-economic conception is needed to be conceived and more deliberately assimilated in terms of urban planning and in regards to designing urban areas in order to develop cities sustainably so they are planned well. Since parks are public space they have a great importance in creating a social environment for people, particularly for those who live in cities. This is in addition to the, physical and ecological impacts of parks. Those who live in the city spend a little time in the edge of everyday life with their friends and families and, as such, they are distracted from social life. This situation adversely affects the elderly who need the most care in our busy daily life. This article seeks to address the gap in the field by exploring the phenomenon of the bonding between elderly people and place in urban parks in an analytical context and focuses on the core concept of place attachment which has gained traction over the past three decades because of the role it plays in explaining the consequences of the connection between people and place in term of predicting behaviors. This article aims to explore how elderly people who have exposed themselves to an environment develop place satisfaction and place attachment in the urban parks and to create more sustainable, civic and environmentally conscientious communities. Based on literature reviewed, this study proposes a conceptual framework of elderly’s source, dimension of place attachment in urban parks. It is anticipated that place satisfaction and place attachment contribute to elderly behavior and might improve their behavior in the urban park environment. This article further evaluates the affective and cognitive views as well as the commitment of the elderly to sustainable development.

EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SATISFACTION, PLACE ATTACHMENT AND LOYALTY IN NIGERIAN ZOOS

Surveys exploring satisfaction, place attachment and loyalty in a zoo context are scarce despite the prevalence of such studies vis a vis other tourism destinations, and their valued importance in understanding travel behaviour and contributions to destinations’ success. This study explores the relationships between visitors’ satisfaction, place attachment (place identity, place dependence, place affect and place social bonding) and loyalty in one of Nigeria’s prominent zoos. This study adoped a qunatitative research approach, with data obtained from a sample of 395 visitors through a structured questionnaire. Using structural equation modeling, we found that the most important causal factor of loyalty is satisfaction, either directly or indirectly through some dimensions of place attachment. In addition, it was revealed that place social bonding can act as either a predictor or an outcome of visitors’ satisfaction. Satisfaction was found to be a significant and positive mediator between place attachment (place identity and place social bonding) while place attachment was found not to mediate the relationship between satisfaction and loyalty. The findings were discussed and practical applications were drawn, particularly aimed at optimizing and providing satisfying experiences which enhances place attachment as well as loyalty.

Measuring the Impact of Hanoian Food Image on Place Attachment

Food can be considered as a destination attraction that enhances the visitors’ experience. Through the process of eating local cuisine, tourists taste local delicacies that can satisfy their physiological functions and thereby learn about local cultures and knowledge and gain a sense of local identification. There were little studies on visitors’ perceptions of Hanoian food. This study examines the relationships between Hanoian food image attributes with two dimensions of place attachment: place identity and place dependence, and the influence of these dimensions on tourist satisfaction. The results suggest that valuable implication to the government of Vietnam and marketers in Hanoi with important insights regarding food image and place attachment to satisfy tourists.

At Home: Place Attachment and Identity in an Italian Refugee Sample.

The central tenet of Place Attachment theory states that an individual has an inborn predisposition to form strong bonds with places as well as with people. Our qualitative study applies this theory to understand how, despite loss and adversity, refugees are able to reconstruct a sense of identity, community, and “home”. Participants included 15 forcibly displaced people from different countries of origin. Semistructured interviews explored factors that facilitate participants’ integration in a new context and the impact of this context on their sense of identity. Data were analysed using Consensual Qualitative Research Methodology to identify recurrent themes and their frequencies within interview transcripts. Within the relational dimensions of place attachment, affiliation, and seeking help from others, the study explores the factors that facilitate the integration of refugees in a new context and the impact of this context on their sense of identity, identifying recurrent themes and their frequencies within interview transcripts. The most frequent resulting themes were (a) a sense of identity and (b) expectations toward the resettlement country. Additional, though less frequent, themes included: (c) sense of belonging, (d) community integration, (e) trust, (f) opportunity seizing, (g) being a point of reference for others, (h) sense of community, (i) positive memories, (j) refusal. These results begin to describe the ways by which Place Attachment, toward both birth and resettlement countries, contributes to a restructured identity and sense of “feeling at home” for refugees.

The Mediating Role of Place Attachment Dimensions in the Relationship Between Local Social Identity and Well-Being.

Well-functioning communities provide a range of material and psychological resources that enhance well-being. The degree to which individuals see themselves as part of the local social group, or local social identity, i.e., the social identification with the community of the place where people are living, may play an important role in enhancing happiness and well-being, as well as relationships of people with their own living environment, i.e., place attachment. We hypothesized that local social identity influences well-being via specific components of place attachment to the residential city/town, i.e., place identity, social relations, and lack of resources (which is the opposite of place dependence). We measured local social identity, individual well-being, interdependent happiness, and place attachment in a sample of N = 375 participants. We tested our hypotheses by conducting a series of mediation analyses with local social identity as an independent variable, individual well-being and interdependent happiness as dependent variables, and place attachment subfactors, i.e., place identity, social relations, and lack of resources, as mediators. Results showed that the relation between local social identity and both individual well-being and interdependent happiness was positively mediated by place identity and social relations, while the lack of resources emerged as a negative mediator only in the relation between local social identity and individual well-being (not for interdependent happiness). Practical implications and future developments are discussed.

Place attachment and aging: A scoping review

ABSTRACT Place attachment is an important multi-dimensional concept that has been expressed by a variety of definitions. This study aimed to explore and synthesize themes related to place attachment and to identify the dimensions of this concept in the older adults. A five-step scoping review framework was used to explore the existing studies that have investigated older adults’ place attachment. Both qualitative and quantitative studies were included in this research. Data searching was conducted on databases during March and April 2019. First, 449 articles were identified and after screening, 29 eligible studies were reviewed. The results specified 17 subcategories and five main categories for the concept of place attachment among community-dwelling older adults, including physical, social, economic, psychological, and autobiographical attachment. The result of this study showed that the multi-faced concept of place attachment is a universal feeling among older adults which is shaped based on the combination of three themes including people, place, and bond. Therefore, it is important to pay more attention to dimensions of place attachment in planning for aging in place and age-friendly communities.

How do Iranian older adults define place attachment? a qualitative study.

Background: Place attachment is the emotional bond between individuals and environment, which seems to increase wellbeing in old age. The purpose of this study was to explore the concept of place attachment from older adults’ perspective. Methods: In this qualitative study, a total of 14 older adults were purposively included in Aran and Bidgool city, Isfahan, Iran. The data were collected using a semi-structured interview and analyzed applying a directed content analysis approach. Results: As participants reported, place attachment meant intensive love, pride, dependency, and familiarity with the environment. Socio-economic attachment was identified as the most prevalent dimension of place attachment, followed by affective, physical, autobiographical, and religious-cultural attachment. Conclusion: Our findings provided a new understanding of place attachment in the context of Iran. The concept of place attachment was identified with a multidimensional nature from Iranian older adults’ perspective. Such a multidimensionality of place attachment should be considered while planning for age-friendly cities or the operationalization of the subject of aging in place, particularly in the developing societies, like Iran.

Energy conservation attitudes and intentions: investigating place attachment in Eastern Transylvania, Romania (Actitudes e intenciones respecto al ahorro de energía: investigando el apego al lugar en Transilvania Oriental, Rumanía)

ABSTRACT This study explores the relationship between place attachment and energy conservation attitudes and behavioural intentions in the Pogány-havas microregion of Romania. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to examine three dimensions of place attachment: place identity, place dependence and nature bonding. While place attachment in the region is high, structural equation modelling (SEM) revealed negative links between place dependence and energy conservation attitudes and between place identity and behavioural intention. However, insignificant regression weights between the constructs suggest there are many unexplained factors that mediate the relationship between place attachment and energy attitudes and behavioural intentions in this region. These results suggest that future research on rural energy transitions should take a systemic perspective that includes additional constraints (e.g., material and structural) that may better explain how individuals develop energy attitudes and behaviours.

Place attachment, environmental cognition and organic fertilizer adoption of farmers: evidence from rural China.

For preventing the excessive consumption of agricultural resources, it is of vital importance to promote agricultural pro-environmental behavior of farmers. Despite the proven importance of psychological factors in encouraging farmers' adoption of organic fertilizer, the evidence is scarce. To fill this gap, this study aims to explore how place attachment and environmental cognition affect farmers' organic fertilizer adoption with a community sample of 944 rural farmers collected in Hubei province. Specifically, we firstly distinguish two dimensions of place attachment, namely, natural attachment and civic attachment, and then we explore the influence of those dimensions and environmental cognition on farmers' adoption of organic fertilizer. The results reveal that both place attachment and environmental cognition positively affect farmers' organic fertilizer adoption. Furthermore, the roles of place attachment vary across different groups divided by farmers' environmental cognition degree and age. Therefore, to promote green agricultural practices, policy-makers should enhance various farmers' place attachment and environmental cognition by strengthening infrastructure construction, organizing collective activities, and conducting animation propaganda.