Sacred space and place attachment

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to provide an understanding of the interconnectedness between religion, identity and attachment to sacred spaces. This is done in three parts. First, we provide a general understanding of attachment to sacred spaces, settings and objects and create a typology of attachment to different sacred spaces, from macro to micro, from natural to human-made, based on a brief comparison of several religions. Second, focusing on one part of this typology (attachment to homes), we illustrate the creation, content and meaning of sacred space through a detailed analysis of the Hindu house. Third, we examine the emergence of place attachment and identity, the ways religion through ritual connects people to places, and how places as settings for sacred behavior and socialization connects people to religion. Finally, by including personal history and auto-ethnography we attempt to 'personalize' environmental psychology.

Immigrant home gardens: Places of religion, culture, ecology, and family

“…Several scholars have studied the connection between people and place (Altman & Low, 1992;Guiliani, 2003;Hidalgo & Hernandez, 2001;Lewicka, 2010;Mazumdar & Mazumdar, 1993, 2004, 2009aProshansky, Fabian, & Kaminoff, 1983;Relph, 1976;Scannell & Gifford, 2010;Tuan, 1974) leading to the formulation of such concepts as sense of place, place identity, place meaning and place attachment. The literature teaches that places are "profound centres of human existence" (Relph, 1976:43), deeply steeped in meaning and sentiment (Lofland, 1998), with the capacity to evoke that which is special (Sheldrake, 2001).…”

Place attachment and flood preparedness

“…In the literature, and the way used here, the concept of place attachment refers to the emotional bond between individuals, groups, or communities, and their physical environments (Low & Altman, 1992;Mazumdar, 2005;Mazumdar & Mazumdar, 1993. How such connections are formed has been the subject of some research (Hummon, 1992;Mazumdar & Mazumdar, 1993.…”

“…How such connections are formed has been the subject of some research (Hummon, 1992;Mazumdar & Mazumdar, 1993. Researchers have studied attachment to residential environments and claimed that place attachment creates feelings of comfort and security (Shumaker & Taylor, 1983), attachment to a second home (Jorgensen & Stedman, 2001), to ''special places'' (Eisenhauer, Krannich, & Blahna, 2000), and visitor's attachment to recreation and tourist destinations (Bricker & Kerstetter, 2000;Williams, Patterson, Roggenbuck, & Watson, 1992).…”

“…Kiecolt and Nigg's (1982, p. 138) study of earthquake evacuation included place in some of their dimensions of community attachment: (a) home ownership, (b) real home or just a place to live, (c) number of community groups one belongs to, (d) proportion of friends living in the community, and (e) length of residence in community. Factors such as rootedness or physical attachment, bonding or social attachment (Riger & Lavrakas, 1981;Taylor, Gottfredson, & Brower, 1985), and attachment to one's house, neighborhood and city (Hidalgo & Hernandez, 2001;Mazumdar & Mazumdar, 1993) were also studied.…”

Psychology and the Internet: A Social Ecological Analysis

“…14,105 The environment can promote the experience of physical or social isolations, 5 contributing in an indirect way to loneliness. 34,57 In contrast, however, the environment can also be considered as a human development setting, 20 with emotional, 64 affective, 60,61 and symbolic 83 components.…”