Using data collected in a general population survey from a random sample of individuals in four communities in Pennsylvania, I examine the effects of community satisfaction and attachment on self-assessed individual well-being. I find substantial support for the hypothesis that satisfaction with the community and attachment to the community are associated independently and positively with individual well-being. Bivariate and multiple correlation/regression analyses reveal that greater community satisfaction and attachment result in higher levels of perceived well-being. Although the total explained variances of the community satisfaction and attachment measures are small, they do not differ substantially from various social and demographic factors that have been found to be associated with well-being. I propose possible implications of these findings and make suggestions for future research.

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An understanding of community development in resource-based areas must begin with an awareness of what a community is and how it develops. In this article I provide a conceptual foundation for operational definitions of community and community development. The proposed working definitions are grounded in sociological theory and empirical research. This endeavor is timely since so much of our social, economic, and political rhetoric makes reference to these two concepts yet fails to provide adequate interpretations for the terms.

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Building upon earlier studies, two hypotheses concerning the association between participation in outdoor recreational activities and pro-environmental behavior are tested using data collected in a general population survey from a random sample of individuals in four communities in Pennsylvania. The first hypothesis, that there is a positive association between outdoor recreational participation and pro-environmental behavior, received substantial support. In contrast to previous research, the results did not support the second hypothesis which stated that there will be differences between/among different types of outdoor activities with respect to their impact on pro-environmental behaviors. Clarifications are made with respect to previous classifications of outdoor recreation activities.