Place Attachment Theory Research Articles

From Technology Acceptance to Platform Attachment: Hospitality Training in Metaverse

ABSTRACT Evolving from augmented and virtual reality environments, the metaverse offers unique immersion, presence, interaction, and persistence, setting it apart from other online platforms. This study employs an experimental design to test a model examining how technology acceptance and platform attachment, driven by situatedness in the metaverse, impact learning in hospitality education. We propose a framework combining technology acceptance with place attachment theory to explore the metaverse’s role in hospitality training. Statistical analysis reveals a significant positive correlation between technology acceptance and platform attachment (β = 0.399, p < .001), which in turn positively influences mental model change (β = 0.758, p < .001). These findings highlight the metaverse’s transformative potential in hospitality education by influencing cognitive frameworks, specifically mental model changes, and enhancing task performance during virtual training. The study also identifies the mediating role of platform attachment in shaping user experiences, providing a theoretical basis for understanding the metaverse’s impact and practical insights for improving hospitality training.

Does robotic service quality determine robotic restaurant diners’ engagement behaviors? Role of customer engagement and attachment to the restaurant

PurposeRobotic restaurants are very novel, and service robots in these restaurants are identified as offering unique advantages in terms of efficiency, tireless service and potentially lower operational costs. However, studying customer engagement with the robots can reveal aspects of robotic service that resonate with diners. Understanding how diners interact with robots can help create a more engaging and enjoyable atmosphere, bringing more business to restaurants. Building on the stimulus-organism-response (SOR) theory and place attachment theory, the purpose of this paper is to study the impact of the robotic service quality (RSQ) on the customer attachment to the robotic restaurant with the mediating role of the different dimensions of the customer engagement, like the Absorptive Attention, Enthusiastic Participation and Social Connection. Subsequently, the impact of the customer attachment to the robotic restaurant on different dimensions of customer engagement behaviors like augmenting, co-developing, influencing and mobilizing behaviors was also studied.Design/methodology/approachThe cross-sectional data from 786 robotic restaurant diners in India who answered the self-administered structured questionnaires is utilized for this descriptive study. The study employed a purposive sampling strategy. The SMART-PLS 4.0 program was used to run structural equation modeling and analyze the data.FindingsThe results indicate that customer engagement dimensions like Absorptive Attention, Enthusiastic Participation and Social Connection differentially mediate the relationship between RSQ and customer attachment with the robotic restaurant. Customer attachment to the restaurant and the robotic services subsequently positively impact customer engagement behaviors.Research limitations/implicationsThe study relied upon cross-sectional data from the Indian population above 18 years to test the proposed model. Further studies could test the model across different populations to generalize the study results.Originality/valueThis study addresses the need to investigate robotic restaurant diners’ engagement behaviors. By testing place attachment theory and the SOR framework, this study is the first to show that RSQ will impact the customer attachment with the robotic restaurant and that different dimensions of customer engagement mediate the relationship. It also validates the previous research findings that customer engagement is not a single global construct, and different sub-dimensions are to be explored. This study is also the first to show customer attachment to the robotic restaurant will impact customer engagement behaviors differently.

Role of Public Art in Community Development

Purpose: The aim of the study was to assess the role of public art in community development. Materials and Methods: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: The study indicated that public art can act as a catalyst for community engagement, bringing together diverse groups of people and encouraging collective participation in community activities. It often reflects the unique cultural heritage of a community, helping to strengthen local identity and pride. Additionally, public art installations can attract tourism and investment, boosting local economies. They also improve the aesthetic appeal of public spaces, making them more inviting and conducive to social interactions. In urban settings, public art contributes to placemaking, creating landmarks and gathering spots that become central to community life. Moreover, it has been observed that public art projects can inspire local creativity and innovation, providing opportunities for local artists and fostering a sense of ownership and involvement among residents. Overall, the presence of public art in a community is a powerful tool for promoting social, cultural, and economic development. Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: Social capital theory, place attachment theory and cultural policy theory may be used to anchor future studies on assessing the role of public art in community development. From a practical standpoint, integrating public art into community development projects requires a multifaceted strategy that emphasizes collaboration among stakeholders. On the policy front, there is an urgent need for governments to prioritize public art as a vital component of urban planning and community development agendas.

THE CORRELATION BETWEEN RESIDENTIAL TYPE AND ECOLOGICAL AWARENESS OF STUDENTS IN HIGHER EDUCATION

This study investigates the correlation between residential type (village, district, or city) and ecological awareness among students in higher education. Through a quantitative analysis, the research reveals that there are no statistically significant differences in ecological awareness across different residential backgrounds. The mean ecological awareness scores for students from villages, districts, and cities were 3.74, 3.81, and 3.70, respectively, suggesting that factors other than residential type may have a more substantial influence on ecological awareness. These findings challenge the strong version of place attachment theory, which posits that individuals in rural areas would have higher ecological awareness due to their closer proximity to nature. The study also notes the potential influence of other variables such as education level, media exposure, and personal values. Additionally, the research highlights the limitations posed by the small sample size, particularly for district residents, and calls for further studies with larger and more diverse samples to validate the findings. The results underscore the complexity of ecological awareness and the necessity of a multifaceted approach in understanding environmental attitudes and behaviors.

Bright is the moon over my home village: Chinese local executives and environmental decoupling

This study investigates whether and how local executives' hometown identities affect enterprises' environmental decoupling. Environmental decoupling refers to the discrepancy between a company's environmental sustainability promises and its actual environmental sustainability performance. Based on the place attachment theory, we expect local executives to engage in fewer corporate environmental decoupling actions than non-local executives. Using the annual data for Chinese companies listed on the A-share market between 2009 and 2021, we tested this hypothesis. Our findings reveal that local executives' sense of identification and belonging to their hometowns lessens the likelihood of businesses engaging in environmental decoupling. This result is more pronounced for companies located in regions with low population mobility, a slow marketization process, strict environmental regulations, and companies with high financing constraints and low corporate governance levels. Furthermore, we find that local executives decrease underreporting of the environmental performance of firms, thereby reducing firms' environmental decoupling. Following several robustness tests, the primary conclusions remain valid. This study offers new evidence that executive characteristics affect company sustainability from an environmental performance decoupling standpoint. It shows that identifying the executives' hometowns motivates them to uphold a sincere commitment to corporate social responsibility.

Reviving life that has ceased on October the 7th: an attachment perspective on a virtual reality intervention

Unfortunately, in recent years, wars have forced many civilians to evacuate their homes and move to safe zones. The event of October the seventh that took place in many Kibbutzim near the Gaza strip, exposed families who were on a Jewish holiday, to the murder of family and community members. They had to leave their burned houses and move to hotels and apartment buildings in other parts of Israel. Many people, also from the Northen parts of the country, are still in new safe zones, and have huge difficulties in returning to their houses (and not only because of objective security reasons). In this “perspective” article we propose a Virtual Reality (VR) application, which is based on past and current research in the fields of attachment theory and traumatic grief. We propose that in addition to the use of exposure therapy, a VR simulation which will activate the attachment system, can reorganize the evacuees’ figure and place attachment representations. We suggest that such a simulation will revive the evacuees’ sense of safe-haven and secure base and enable them to return to their home place, or to adjust to a new place, thereby leading to optimal adjustment. We start with a presentation of the theory of attachment, place attachment, attachment and loss and the two-track model of bereavement. Then, we describe the design of our VR intervention that aims to address this challenge from the attachment theory perspective with the evacuees. Finally, we discuss the challenges that need to be dealt with to implement the VR interventions through resilience centers in Israel.

Pro-Environmental Behavior of Visitors to National Parks in India: Role of Recreation Involvement and Environmental Activism

This study investigates the impact of recreational involvement and environmental activism in forming pro-environmental behavior in tourists visiting national parks. The objective is to understand how tourists spend time with nature and their level of environmental contribution to their willingness to adopt pro-environmental behavior within the National Park. In addition, it aims to examine the mediating role of environmental satisfaction between tourists’ pro-environment behavior and their place attachment. Based on the theory of Place Attachment, which asserts that humans form feelings of association with specific locations, the authors intend to understand how tourist attachment to the national park affects their attitudes and actions related to the environment. Visiting a national park is a recreational involvement for tourists, allowing them to sense responsibility toward the environment. In addition, environmental activism is featured as an individual involvement to protect the environment. Three hundred and fourteen national park visitors in India participated in the current study. WarpPLS (7.0), a variance-based structural equation modeling (SEM), was used to test the research model. By revealing the factors impacting pro-environmental behavior in a national park in India, findings provide an understanding to the national parks authorities in designing interventions and education programs that promote recreation involvement and environmental activism to foster sustainable tourist behavior toward conservation and preservation of national parks in India.

Enhancing protection motivation for disaster preparedness among actors at UNESCO-designated heritage sites in Africa

Heritage sites face escalating threats from natural and human-induced hazards, posing risks to centuries of cultural heritage and environmental diversity. Despite this pressing challenge, there is a notable scarcity of qualitative studies linking protection motivation and disaster preparedness in UNESCO-designated sites. Guided by the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) this study fills this critical gap by examining these aspects within UNESCO-designated sites in Africa. By adopting a directed qualitative content analysis approach, key informant interviews of 21 actors, covering 10 countries provided pertinent data for this study. While threat appraisal was strong, coping appraisal was weak, with partial disaster preparedness among UNESCO actors. Notably, the absence of fear as a predominant motivating factor for protection and disaster preparedness was compensated by other factors namely: a strong sense of heritage stewardship, and sustainability/resilience commitment. These findings extend the PMT framework and advocate for future research integrating elements of place attachment theory. By leveraging these insights, stakeholders can collaboratively enhance preservation efforts, ensuring the long-term sustainability of Africa's cultural and natural heritage.

Role of Recreational Facilities in Community Well-Being in India

Purpose: The aim of the study was to assess the role of recreational facilities in community well-being in India. Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: The study revealed that, ranging from parks and playgrounds to community centers and sports complexes, serve as focal points for social interaction, physical activity, and cultural exchange within neighborhoods. Studies indicate that access to such amenities correlates with improved mental and physical health outcomes, reduced stress levels, and increased community cohesion. Furthermore, recreational facilities often contribute to crime prevention by providing safe spaces for leisure activities and fostering a sense of belonging among residents. Their presence can also enhance property values and attract businesses, thus contributing to overall community development. As vital components of urban planning and public infrastructure, investing in and maintaining recreational facilities is essential for fostering healthier, happier, and more connected communities. Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: Social capital theory, place attachment theory and ecological systems theory may be used to anchor future studies on assessing the role of recreational facilities in community well-being in India. Design and implement community-driven initiatives to enhance the accessibility, inclusivity, and quality of recreational facilities, ensuring that they meet the diverse needs and preferences of residents across different demographic groups and geographic contexts. Advocate for policies and funding mechanisms that prioritize investments in recreational infrastructure as integral components of urban planning and development strategies, recognizing their essential role in promoting public health, social cohesion, and economic vitality.

Place attachment theory and virtual reality: the case of a rural tourism destination

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore from a place attachment (PA) theory perspective the extent to which and how, a fully immersive virtual reality (VR) experience enhances tourists’ attachment level on-site at a rural destination.Design/methodology/approachThis study applied an exploratory mixed method approach. Respondents were tourists visiting the Lake District National Park who were asked to try a VR experience. In Study 1, interviews were conducted to explore new themes and to develop an enhanced PA framework in VR. Study 1 confirmed existing variables from the literature and highlighted new variables (themes) to be included in the new framework on how PA is formed. In Study 2, surveys were conducted, and the proposed framework analyzed using structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). To fully understand how VR had an impact on enhancing PA, the moderating effect of tourists’ pre-existing PA was considered.FindingsThe findings revealed “Accessibility”, “Memories” and “Increased Place Knowledge” as new themes (variables) and confirmed that these and established variables “Aesthetics” and “Presence” enhance PA, leading to increased loyalty. Significant moderating effects of existing PA were found.Practical implicationsVR serves as a complementary and substitutional tool for tourism. Tailored VR experiences for diverse tourist needs may enhance destination marketing and competitiveness. For tourists with low PA, destinations should focus on promoting activities and highlights to enhance engagement and the experiential understanding of the destination. For tourists with high PA, VR experiences should focus on providing a comprehensive view of the destination and unveiling new places. In both cases, the VR experience leads to deeper engagement with the destination and an increase in PA.Originality/valueResearch on the impact of VR on tourists’ PA is limited. To address this gap, this study’s theoretical contribution lies in developing and testing a PA framework within a VR and tourism context. This also includes the validation of new measurement items developed in relation to the new themes.

Study on Australian Working Holiday Experience, Place Attachment, Revisit Behavior, and Spending Power

Abstract This study aimed to explore the effects of Australian working holiday experiences on place attachment, repeat visitation behavior, and consumption. Based on social exchange theory, place attachment theory, and destination image theory, five research hypotheses were proposed. A total of 462 valid questionnaires were collected and analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. The empirical results indicated that Australian working holiday experiences have a significant positive impact on place dependence and place identity. In addition, place dependence and place identity have a significant positive impact on repeat visitation behavior, and repeat visitation behavior has a positive impact on consumption. The findings of this study provide valuable insights for the Australian government and tourism industry to enhance the place attachment and identity of working holidaymakers, thus increasing their intention to revisit and consumption. Therefore, the Taiwan youth working holiday program in Australia has a substantial contribution to the development of Australian tourism economy. JEL classification numbers: Z30; Z32. Keywords: Australian working holiday experiences, Place attachment, Revisiting behavior, Spending power.

The Socio-cultural Significance of Street Art in Urban Recreation Spaces

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the socio-cultural significance of street art in urban recreation spaces.&#x0D; Methodology: The study adopted a desktop research methodology. Desk research refers to secondary data or that which can be collected without fieldwork. Desk research is basically involved in collecting data from existing resources hence it is often considered a low cost technique as compared to field research, as the main cost is involved in executive’s time, telephone charges and directories. Thus, the study relied on already published studies, reports and statistics. This secondary data was easily accessed through the online journals and library.&#x0D; Findings: The findings reveal that there exists a contextual and methodological gap relating to the socio-cultural significance of street art in urban recreation spaces. This study has provided insights into how street art enriched urban environments by reflecting community identity, fostering social interaction, and promoting cultural expression. It highlighted the need for inclusive policies to support street art's positive impact while addressing regulatory challenges. Overall, the research underscored street art's role as a dynamic force for social change and community empowerment within urban landscapes.&#x0D; Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The Symbolic Interactionism theory, Place Attachment theory and Critical theory may be used to anchor future studies on the socio-cultural significance of street art in urban recreation spaces. The study made comprehensive recommendations across theory, practice, and policy domains. The research emphasized the importance of advancing theoretical frameworks to capture the multifaceted nature of street art's impact, fostering collaboration between street artists, urban planners, and community stakeholders in practice, and advocating for the development of supportive regulatory frameworks and policies at the policy level. By engaging with interdisciplinary perspectives and promoting community-led initiatives, the study aimed to enhance our understanding of street art's role in shaping urban landscapes and fostering social cohesion and cultural expression.

Exploring the appeal of villainous characters in film-induced tourism: perceived charismatic leadership and justice sensitivity

Film-induced tourism is considered a valuable marketing tool, especially crucial for the recovery of post-pandemic tourism. The rapid growth of digital streaming platforms has enabled film and television works to reach global audiences and impact viewers on a broader scale. Scholars and tourism operators increasingly recognise film characters’ pivotal role in global film-induced tourism. While film-induced tourism is generally believed to impact the image of tourist destinations positively, existing research has predominantly focused on the decent characters portrayed in films. However, the allure of captivating audiences is not confined solely to decent characters. According to narrative studies in film and television, villainous characters with extraordinary skills often have a stronger appeal to viewers than decent ones. Therefore, the objective of this study is to explore a rarely discussed topic: how villainous characters enhance the attractiveness of tourist destinations. This interdisciplinary research principally integrates character arc theory and reception aesthetics from film studies, emotion contagion theory from marketing research, and place attachment theory from tourism studies. Accordingly, this study examines the perceived charismatic leadership of villainous characters and its impact on film tourists’ emotion contagion, place attachment and visit intention. The study distributed questionnaires to 532 audiences who watched the Chinese police and crime drama titled, The Knockdown (狂飙), and who acquainted themselves with the villainous character Gao Qiqiang (高启强). Structured equation modelling showed that villainous characters with charismatic leadership can significantly impact the intention of film tourists. Specifically, perceived charismatic leadership directly influenced emotions of pleasure, arousal and admiration. Place attachment existed as a whole or partial mediator of the three emotions and visit intention. Moreover, the audience’s justice sensitivity negatively moderated the positive relationship between perceived charismatic leadership and emotions. Finally, the study provides insights and suggestions for film tourism marketers and screenwriters.

Redefining Absentee: Towards Understanding Place Attachment and Stewardship in Non-Residential Landowners in Texas, USA

Approximately 30% of the private land in Texas, USA is under absentee ownership. Understanding who absentee landowners are and their land management behaviors is vital for the protection of privately owned landscapes and the ecosystem services that they support, including surface water quality. By focusing on absentee landowners with properties in five watersheds in Texas, we utilized the theory of place attachment to gain insights into absentee landowners’ land management decisions and their involvement in water quality conservation programs, such as watershed protection plans (WPPs). By conducting a mail-out survey, we obtained 100 responses, which were analyzed using an exploratory factor analysis and a series of nonparametric assessments. The results revealed that, contrary to the term “absentee”, the landowners in our study demonstrated strong feelings of place attachment and heightened land stewardship. Based on these findings, we suggest that instead of considering absentee landowners as obstacles to collaborative conservation initiatives, such as WPPs, natural resource practitioners should recognize and capitalize on the emotional attachment that these landowners have to their properties, thereby fostering their involvement. By demonstrating the owner–land relationship and its behavioral outcomes among absentee landowners, this study provides a novel contribution to the existing literature on place attachment in the context of private land management and conservation.

Nature's Healing Touch: Exploring the Therapeutic Benefits of Ecotherapy and Ecopsychology in Cancer Supportive Care

Cancer care demands holistic strategies to address the intricate challenges faced by individuals during their journey. This narrative review explores the emerging field of ecotherapy and ecopsychology, encompassing nature-based interventions to enhance psychosocial well-being in the context of cancer. Ecotherapy, defined as the connection between nature and human well-being, offers a diverse range of modalities, including nature-based interventions, animal-assisted therapies, and virtual reality. Drawing from Vedic traditions, it highlights the human-cosmos analogy, emphasizing the interconnectedness between individuals and the nature. Theoretical frameworks such as the Biophilia Hypothesis, Attention Restoration Theory, Systems Theory, Place Attachment Theory and Stress Recovery Theory underpin ecotherapeutic practices. This review outlines the multifaceted benefits of ecotherapy, spanning stress reduction, emotional well-being, medical recovery, resilience building, social connectedness, and empowerment. Future directions underscore the need for individualized approaches, healthcare professional training, and collaborative efforts to unlock the full potential of ecotherapy in promoting psychosocial well-being throughout the cancer care continuum.

Eco-destination image, place attachment, and behavioral intention: the moderating role of eco-travel motivation

ABSTRACT This research investigates the link between eco-destination image, place attachment, and behavioral intention, particularly emphasizing the moderating influence of eco-travel motivation. Data were acquired from 539 Vietnamese visitors visiting Da Lat City, Vietnam, using convenience sampling. The study hypotheses were investigated using structural equation modeling and partial least squares analysis. The results show a link between place attachment and eco-destination image, implying that connection to eco-destinations improves the view of the destination as environmentally friendly. Furthermore, both eco-destination image and place attachment impact behavioral intentions. Additionally, the study demonstrates that place attachment mediates the relationship between eco-destination image and behavioral intention. This study contributes to the theory of place attachment by investigating these relationships, providing insights into how attachment to eco-destinations influences tourists’ behavioral intentions. These findings advance the understanding of the factors shaping tourists’ connections to specific places and contribute to the broader knowledge of place attachment theory. The results offer practical implications for developing sustainable tourism practices. They can guide policymakers and industry practitioners in creating meaningful and engaging experiences that foster place attachment and promote sustainable tourism in eco-destinations like Da Lat City.

Influences of destination image, place attachment and service expectation on ecotourism destination satisfaction: a case of Cambodian tourists visiting Mondulkiri

ABSTRACT While improving tourist satisfaction is essential, attention to the factors influencing overall satisfaction with ecotourism destinations is highly important. This study aimed to model ecotourism destination satisfaction by integrating destination image, place attachment, and expectation-confirmation theory. Specifically, this research examines the effects of destination image, place identity, place dependence, service expectations, and confirmation on overall satisfaction with ecotourism destinations. A questionnaire was administered to domestic tourists visiting Mondulkiri, Cambodia. Structural equation modeling was employed to measure direct relationships, while the Sobel test was used to measure indirect effects through mediators. The findings showed that place dependence and service expectations influenced overall satisfaction and mediated the relationship between destination image and satisfaction. The findings of the research have implications for developing sustainable ecotourism destination satisfaction management.

The Compassion Fade Framework in the Social Media Context: Applying Place Attachment to Advertising Strategies for Monetary Donations

This study applies the compassion fade framework to the social media context by considering the moderating role of place attachment. By integrating the compassion fade framework with place attachment theory, this study conducted an online experiment with four conditions and recruited participants in the United States from Amazon’s Mechanical Turk. The empirical findings revealed that given the place attachment condition, social media users’ monetary donation intention was significantly influenced by empathetic concern and anticipated affect, and social media users’ monetary donation intention was significantly affected only by empathetic concern under the general place condition. The path from anticipated affect to monetary donation intention was statistically different between the general place condition and the place attachment condition. Based on these empirical findings, this study makes several meaningful contributions to the extant literature on donation advertisement and their implications for social media advertising strategies.

On staying: Non-migration among Puerto Rican physicians

Since 2000, an exodus of Puerto Ricans leaving the island has reduced the local population by almost 20 per cent. One of the migratory waves of greatest concern is that of physicians due to its potential impact on Puerto Rico’s (PR) public health. Strategies to curtail their migration have overlooked the island’s unique cultural and geographic strengths that could encourage physicians to stay. This article, influenced by place attachment theory, explores the perspectives of physicians who have chosen to stay in PR. The presented data stems from qualitative interviews with 24 physicians. The findings underscore how place attachment, including an appreciation for PR’s geography and culture, influences their decision to stay. We discuss how it is crucial to integrate place attachment into any comprehensive strategy to retain physicians on the island, as it becomes an intrinsic part of their identities and lifestyles. Thus, emphasis should be placed on the environmental and social benefits of remaining in PR, not solely economic factors.

Enhancement of disaster preparedness: Approaches of place attachment and behavior to “build back better” mosque as tsunami evacuation building in Banda Aceh City, Indonesia

The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030 emphasizes the importance of learning from experiences to strengthen preparedness and “Build Back Better” through risk reduction in the phases of recovery, rehabilitation, and reconstruction. On December 26, 2004, Aceh Province in Indonesia was affected by an earthquake and tsunami that caused infrastructure damage and resulted in the death of 160,000–200,000 people. Mc. Caughey simulation (2017) showed that 50% of respondents in Banda Aceh, preferred mosques as tsunami evacuation sites in the future. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the function of mosques as tsunami evacuation buildings through a community-based approach. The method involved participatory observation and in-depth interviews, guided by the principles of Sense of Place Attachment and Behavior Theory. The results showed that the Baitul Musyahadah Mosque satisfied the criteria for serving as a tsunami evacuation facility. A significant proportion of the community (38%) selected mosques as their preferred evacuation sites, considering factors such as ease of horizontal access (22%), ease of vertical access (22%), the call to prayer (12%), and the available space (4%). The analysis of sociodemographic factors indicated that individuals aged 20–30 expressed attachment towards the physical aesthetics of the mosques, while those aged 31–50 exhibited attachment towards the symbolic significance. This study recommended integrating the design concept of mosques to accommodate worship activities and emergency evacuation, thereby contributing to national and international endeavors aimed at mitigating tsunami risks.