Interaction In Public Spaces Research Articles

Integrated positive and negative analyses of cognitive-mediation strategies in the social quarrels

Public disharmony can easily arise in our social conversations, leading to quarrels, disputes, and even conflicts, which can harm our society’s stability and security. Encouraging harmonious communication and interaction in public spaces is considered an embodiment of personal morality and social civilization. However, interlocutors in public discussions often overlook the crucial role of cognitive mediation, which is essential but rarely discussed in previous studies. Drawing on the theory of cognitive mediation, this study analyzes four authentic videos using four different cognitive-mediation strategies that interlocutors may use to mediate ongoing quarrels with evident social disharmony. It also demonstrates how mediators carefully choose their words to prevent the quarrel from escalating into a more negative interaction. The analysis not only illustrates the process of mediating ongoing quarrels but also provides a new model for regulating social interactions that promote communicative harmony in public places. This study has the potential to improve communication education practices in public settings and normalize social communication.

Social interaction in public space: Spatial edges, moveable furniture, and visual landmarks

Research on the relationship between space and social interaction has focused on indoor spaces, such as museums and offices. However, empirical evidence on the connection between the intensity of social interaction and outdoor public spaces is still lacking. Applying machine learning algorithms to a 9-hour time-lapse video of an urban park, we decipher the effects of two spatial features, edges, and landmarks, on visitors’ activities. We identified dynamic visitor groups in the videos through a graph-based method and mapped the clustering pattern of interaction activities over time and space. In parallel, we used a computer vision algorithm to delineate fixed objects (notably the harbourfront, landside park boundary, a carousel, four benches, three pavilions, and four heart-shaped seating) and dynamic edges (formed by moveable furniture as park visitors repositioned them) onsite. We found that dynamic edges formed by moveable furniture and the fixed edge of a visual landmark consistently attracted more social interaction and group activities. In designing public spaces that encourage group activities, urban planners and designers can leverage the combination of fixed objects and flexible furniture to maximise the choices for visitors and curate a more engaging public open space.

The Effect of Structural Characteristics of Design on Social Use and Interaction in Public Spaces -The Case of the Theater Square in Algeria

This paper addressed the issue of the impact of structural characteristics such as accessibility and visibility on social use and interaction in public spaces and public squares, for the contribution of this type of behavioral and environmental research in understanding the social interaction between the user and the space to ensure the effectiveness of designs that are based on social understanding and a permanent response to the needs of users. Where the study aims to lay the foundations and principles for public Squares in Algeria. The methodology is based on analyzing the theater square in Batna-Algeria through the theory of space syntax, and conducting a monitoring and monitoring process to compare the space organization plans resulting from the Depthmap program and the Post Occupancy Evaluations resulting from the tracking of users. The results showed that: accessibility and visibility are key elements in the proposal to design this square. Human behavior in public spaces depends greatly on the structural characteristics resulting from the formation of the environment, as the results show that the use of the square depends greatly on the possibility of visual access through the connectivity and integration of the spaces of the square with its neighboring areas, and the results indicated that there is a strong correlation. The structural characteristics of the design and the user's behavior, and that, it is the reason for choosing the spaces to carry out specific humanitarian activities and practices.

Analyzing design factors affecting users’ interactions in public spaces

Analyzing design factors affecting users’ interactions in public spaces

Health Protocol on Infographic: Building Awareness and Understanding Related to the Covid-19 Pandemic in Indonesia Through Social Media, from the Early Stage to the New Normal

Combination of visual and text to deliver information that simply called Infographic, allows the reader to easily comprehend complex information, in this case, delivering information about the Covid-19 pandemic in Indonesia and how to cope with the condition. This paper will be started with explanation about the pandemic and how Infographics became a medium to deliver the information. Then, this paper will be discussed how Infographics are used to deliver information on Instagram, popular social media, in order to guide the audience in preparing for the outbreak and built awareness about the global pandemic. At the end, a clearer picture of how Infographic contribute to delivering information and building awareness to a wide range of audiences can be obtained, at the same time the difference in the visual approach implemented at the beginning of the pandemic and after the relaxation of social interactions in public spaces toward the “New Normal” are explained.

The contribution of urban public space to the social interactions and empowerment of women

ABSTRACT Public spaces are central to social interactions and cohesion, overall urban life, and therewith sustainable urban development. They can play key roles in increasing social interactions and women’s empowerment. The literature lacks empirical research on the state of women’s use of public spaces and these spaces’ effects on women’s social interactions and empowerment in Middle Eastern cities in the Kurdistan Region, where women historically enjoyed greater freedom. This paper addresses this gap by presenting insights from a comparative cross-border study with women in two Kurdish cities, Sanandaj and Sulaimani. In doing so, the paper contributes an empirically based theorization of urban public place-making, and debates its effects on the empowerment of women in the context of Kurdish urbanisms. The study developed a survey instrument to measure women’s interactions with and in public spaces and their related empowerment in these two cities across five main factors. Despite the local women’s limited interaction with and in the public spaces of these two Kurdish cities, the findings show a strong positive relationship between women’s interactions in public spaces and their empowerment. The results also suggest that socio-political and related socio-spatial changes have contributed to a decreased relevance of traditional meeting and leisure spaces but have increased the use of malls as commodified spaces, particularly in Sulaimani. The study debates the specificities of urban public spaces in Kurdish cities, and commonalities as well as differences compared with developments elsewhere.

Requirements for Location-Based Games for Social Interaction

Social interaction is part of the fabric of society and is essential to challenge many types of social barriers. Location-based games (LBGs) provide a means to foster such interaction in local communities. The design of such games is currently based primarily on designer experience and on the literature on game design in general, and not on an understanding of user requirements. This article explores the preferences and desires of adolescents in neighborhoods of Rotterdam South to socially interact with others and engage with their own neighborhood via LBGs. Adolescents are informants in the exploration of gaming activities for social interaction, which, when subjected to expert review with the mechanics-dynamics-aesthetics framework, produce gameplay requirements for the desired purpose: social interaction in public space. Such requirements provide researchers and game designers insights on the game dynamics best suited to foster location-based social interaction.

Gender, evictions, and relocations during COVID-19 in South Africa: Lessons for programming and practice

abstract Through secondary data analysis, review of reports of evictions during COVID-19 and policy analysis, this article examines women’s experience of evictions and relocations during the COVID-19 lockdown in cities across South Africa. Declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in South Africa at the end of March 2020 was accompanied by regulations which were designed to limit interactions in public spaces. However, these did not take into account that in informal settlements, where evictions are common, demarcation between public and private spaces is indistinct and remains contested. Moreover, there was little consideration of the fact that women and their children, who comprise most inhabitants in informal settlements, bear the brunt of evictions. The demographic composition of informal dwellers is often an indicator of the profile of the victims of evictions and possibly relocations. The experience of eviction among women is shaped by their multiple identities as informal dwellers, workers, mothers, and partners. Initial results suggest that evictions affected mostly women. The outcome was loss of their homes, possessions, and livelihoods in informal settlements at a time when their inadequate living conditions made them vulnerable. Evictions – particularly during the coldest months of 2020 – exacerbated their situation. While the findings address evictions as a challenge affecting women living in places and spaces where they are considered not to belong, they also speak to women’s vulnerability and their right of place in post-apartheid cities. This article contributes to the theoretical understanding of women’s experiences of evictions and relocations and how these intersected with COVID-19 to amplify the general vulnerability of women.

The Status of Women in Kurdish Society and the Extent of Their Interactions in Public Realm

Apart from the traditional Kurdish gender regime, which originates from the Kurdish tribal structure and which to some extent restricts the visibility of women in society, the status of Kurdish women is considered to be relatively high in comparison with that of their neighbors, since Kurdish women enjoy relative tolerance in society. This includes the possibility of reaching high professional positions, their presence in public spaces, and entertaining guests in the absence of their husbands. Certain socio-economic and political transformations took place in recent decades, which improved Kurdish women’s social standing, turning it into a symbol representing fundamental change in the gender role model in the Middle East. Although there are some studies on the status of Kurdish women in different individual Kurdish regions throughout the Middle East, not many reviews have compared the four parts of Kurdistan simultaneously, and there are hardly any specific analyses dealing with Kurdish women’s interactions in public spaces. This review aims to investigate the status of women in Kurdish society in different Kurdish regions according to a comparative approach. Although the path of Kurdish female emancipation was initiated first in the region of Rojhalat in 1946 and the Kurdish region of Iraq was granted some opportunities toward national liberation in 1991, the Bakur in Turkey can be considered a successful movement, establishing a sustained approach to the liberation of Kurdish women from patriarchal structures. During the Rojava Revolution in northern Syria, this movement proved itself able to build an indigenous alternative to Western-type egalitarian societies.

Social Interaction in Public Spaces and Well-Being among Elderly Women: Towards Age-Friendly Urban Environments.

The world’s population is aging and becoming more urbanized. Public space in urban areas is vital for improving the health of the elderly by stimulating social interaction. Many urban design projects are advertised as age-friendly but ignore the real needs of the elderly, especially elderly women, for social interaction in urban public spaces. Insufficient attention is paid to the physical and psychological characteristics of elderly women when shaping public space. This analysis addresses the question: What are the qualities of urban spaces which facilitate health-improving social interaction for elderly women? Methods include a case study in Beijing, field investigation, mapping, and qualitative and quantitative analysis. The survey was carried out in April 2021, and concerned 240 women aged 55–75 years. Results indicate that the social interactions of older women relate to both their physical and psychological situations. Public spaces can positively impact the psychological well-being and social participation of elderly women. Conclusions include insights regarding the relationship between social interaction and well-being among elderly women, as well as proposing a series of principles for shaping public spaces for an age-friendly urban environment.

A legacy of silence: the intersections of medical sociology and disability studies

Disability remains on the margins of the social sciences. Even where disability is foregrounded as a category of analysis, accounts regularly emerge in silos, with little interdisciplinary dialogue acknowledging the...

Experiences of the COVID-19 Pandemic Among African American, Latinx, and White Sexual Minority Women: A Descriptive Phenomenological Study.

From a systems perspective, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused global changes impacting the lives of individuals at all levels of interactions. Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with a sample of 18 African-American/Black, Hispanic/Latina/Latinx, and White sexual minority women (SMW) to explore experiences and adaptations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Interviews were analyzed using a descriptive phenomenological approach to understand how the complex and changing contexts of the pandemic impacted participants' lives. Analyses revealed participants were impacted in the context of their sexual identity in their experiences of coming out and being visible; creating social bubbles; their connection to the LGBTQ community; and dating. The pandemic, which took place concurrently with major political events including Black Lives Matter demonstrations and protests against police and White supremacist violence against people of color, resulted in additional impacts on Black and Latinx SMW related to safety, dialogues about race, and on-going systemic and cultural racism. Interviews also revealed general challenges in the areas of relationships, including with a partner and family; employment and the workplace; and interactions in public spaces. The findings underscore the importance of understanding the diverse range of experiences and impacts of the pandemic on SMW, including experiences related to their sexual identity and racial/racialized identity, as well as general experiences that may have additional consequences for SMW, and supports needed to help alleviate the negative impacts in the short and long-term.

A Methodology for Assessing the Impact of Living Labs on Urban Design: The Case of the Furnish Project

This paper presents a framework to support the assessment of urban design projects through Urban Living Labs (ULLs). The framework is based on the Tactical Urbanism (TU) practices and involves the use of Mobile Urban Elements (MUE) in uncertain and potentially confusing conditions (e.g., the COVID-19 context). The methodology includes the application of the Four-Phase Model (problem and ideation; development; implementation, testing and assessment; final proposal) and a quantitative and qualitative assessment. The proposed assessment criteria were developed through an evaluation according to three aspects: (1) feasibility impact; (2) social impact; and (3) spatial impact. The methodology was applied to Furnish, an urban design project based on a ULL and prototyping, which was recently developed in five European cities. The empirical results, obtained using the impact analysis, indicate that the prototypes developed in the project are transferable to other cities and generate social interaction in public spaces. The applied research showed that the Four-Phase Model may be used as a new and improved iterative design process: the LOOP Scheme. The application of this assessment methodology to ULLs may provide valuable information for the future planning of urban interventions in public spaces.

Analysis of Public Space Dynamics Based on Instagram and Flickr Data

The general increase in the use of social media platforms since 2010 is related to the growing amount of data collected on the Internet, which may represent an opportunity for urban research. By analysing publicly available geolocated data from social media platforms, it is possible to track changes in the attractiveness and spatiotemporal dynamics of public spaces through their different stages of development. In this paper, we analyse data obtained from the Instagram and Flickr - for both platforms, user-sharing photographs is their main feature. Photos taken during daily interactions in public space have a symbolic value. In addition, social media posts contain valuable metadata that can be used for analysis and information discovery. In research, social media posts are used to measure and identify the attractiveness and dynamics of a selected public space. Data was collected by using the REST API technology. Two case studies are presented that retrospectively analyse the attractiveness and dynamics of selected public spaces from Graz (Austria) and Maribor (Slovenia). The research results show that the data from the Flickr platform, which provides access to the exact geolocation of the posted photos, can show the attractiveness of the locations, as the popular sights in both cities were clearly identified on the generated heatmaps. The maps showed locations that were perceived as important and attractive by residents or visitors in order to document them, which indicates certain motivation or even quality that confirms the expected correlation. With the methodology presented, the data collected on the Instagram social media platform can, to a certain extent, reflect the activities carried out in the physical public space, even if it cannot provide a complete picture. The research results are considered a valuable proxy for determining the general level of social interaction in public space. The methodology presented demonstrates the innovative approach to retrospective analysis of dynamics and changing attractiveness from social media perspective in public space. In the future, however, more social media data will be available, which will allow a more specific analysis and - in combination with other data sources - a more effective detection of deficiencies in public space, but also better urban planning and management. Finally, there is an enormous potential for retrospective research using the comparative method, but also for linking new ICT driven approaches with traditional methods.

A triangulation process of street music in public spaces: a case study of Istanbul's Istiklal Avenue

Purpose This paper aims to discuss the spatial interactions of street music in public spaces. It proposes to clarify why relationship between street music and people in public spaces is important and how street music evokes an external stimulus on people. Design/methodology/approach The conceptual framework of this paper is based on the triangulation process of Whyte and the qualities of public spaces, forming a relationship between space and people produced from the seminal literature of the paper. Accordingly, a case study based on the qualitative research method was conducted in Istiklal Avenue, where street music performances can be observed for long term. During the field work which spans a period of 12 months, 10 spots of street music performances have been observed and photo–video documentation was collected. Findings This paper provides empirical insights on how the triangulation process reflects social interactions in public spaces. This also suggests the triangulated position of street music as an external stimulus relating with the people as actors of daily urban flux. Research limitations/implications Regarding to the chosen research approach which is based on deeper understanding, this paper interrelates the interactions of street music and people in public space. Social implications This paper includes qualitative research steps of data collection and disaggregates findings with a “Cross Matrix Table” proposed at the end of the study. Originality/value The proposed disaggregating “Cross Matrix Table” and case study fulfil an architectural need to research how everyday street art activity can reflect the qualities of public space.

Micro-recognition, invisibility and hesitation: Theorising the non-encounter in the social inclusion of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities

ABSTRACT Background: Often, people with and without intellectual disabilities do not mingle. Research has mostly focused on how to foster “convivial encounters” for social inclusion, but further thinking is needed on situations in which potential encounters do not take place. Method: Discussion of philosophical and urban sociological literature on social interaction in public. Results: In non-encounters, people give subtle non-verbal cues in situations of physical proximity. This can both lead to hurtful experiences of invisibility and positive experiences of micro-recognition. In spite of best efforts, people can position others unintendedly as “strange,” which leads to hesitation. Conclusions: This analysis highlights how non-encounters can be both socially inclusive and exclusive. In spite of best intentions, interactions in public spaces also come with tensions. The question of how to transform social culture to encompass difference remains significant.

Street harassment is marketplace discrimination: The impact of street harassment on young female consumers’ marketplace experiences

This study brings street harassment to the retailing and consumer services literature streams. Street harassment describes unwanted interactions in public spaces between strangers or customers and is often motivated by a person’s gender, sexual orientation, or gender expression. To date, marketers have overlooked the occurrence of street harassment in retail establishments and consumer service domains, such as in theaters, public markets, recreational areas, and shopping malls. This work empirically demonstrates the extent to which young women in Nepal experience harassment from men in the marketplace and the various tactics they employ to lessen it. Furthermore, this research exposes the extent to which Nepali men admit to participating in verbal, physical, or visual harassment of women in various retailing and service settings. The article concludes with a discussion of theoretical, managerial, and societal implications and encourages public policy officials to treat street harassment as a criminal offense.

Don’t stand so close to me: Public spaces, behavioral geography, and COVID-19

COVID-19 is influencing how people engage with one another in geographic space. Stay-at-home orders and social distancing have reduced people’s bodily presences and social interactions in public spaces. Revisiting classical behavioral geography, this commentary explores the perception and engagement of geographic space among residents in the downtown core of a large metropolitan region in Texas during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Inconvenient Samples: Modeling Biases Related to Parental Consent by Coupling Observational and Experimental Results.

In studies involving human subjects, voluntary participation may lead to sampling bias, thus limiting the generalizability of findings. This effect may be especially pronounced in developmental studies, where parents serve as both the primary environmental input and decision maker of whether their child participates in a study. We present a novel empirical and modeling approach to estimate how parental consent may bias measurements of children’s behavior. Specifically, we coupled naturalistic observations of parent–child interactions in public spaces with a behavioral test with children, and used modeling methods to impute the behavior of children who did not participate. Results showed that parents’ tendency to use questions to teach was associated with both children’s behavior in the test and parents’ tendency to participate. Exploiting these associations with a model-based multiple imputation and a propensity score–matching procedure, we estimated that the means of the participating and not-participating groups could differ as much as 0.23 standard deviations for the test measurements, and standard deviations themselves are likely underestimated. These results suggest that ignoring factors associated with consent may lead to systematic biases when generalizing beyond lab samples, and the proposed general approach provides a way to estimate these biases in future research.

Social psychology in the street: knowing the graffiti practices in the daily dispute for the public space

This writing has two main purposes: first, make some initial aproximations from social psychology, and others nearby disciplines, to contribute in understanding of the interaction in public spaces , and second, present partial results of an ongoing investigation. From a qualitative methodology and an ethnographic design, some initial categories about meanings and practices in the public space of young graffiti artists in the city of Puerto Montt are put into dialogue with the way in which these collective action proceedings interact with some institutions and regulations, which seek to regulate the uses and possibilities of inhabiting the city. As a first results, the meanings of update, whitening and recycling can be observed as practices that young people carry out in public spaces and the experience of constant dispute in the interaction between graffiti artists and other inhabitants of the city.