Social networks, social satisfaction and place attachment in the neighborhood

Abstract

Feeling socially integrated and being satisfied with one’s social life are important indicators for happiness and well-being of individuals and for the strength of local communities. The effect of the living environment on social networks and the importance of local social contacts in the neighborhood has been addressed by many studies. However, social satisfaction has received little attention in these studies. The aim of this study is to describe and predict the effect of personal and neighborhood characteristics on social satisfaction mediated by the impact of place attachment and neighborhood networks. A path analysis is used based on survey and diary data collected between April and May 2014 in Eindhoven and surroundings in the Netherlands among 177 respondents. Results show that social characteristics of the neighborhood play an important role in explaining social satisfaction of individuals. In addition, results confirm the importance of participating in social activities and walking or cycling in the neighborhood.

Collective self-build for senior friendly communities. Studying the effects on social cohesion, social satisfaction and loneliness

“…Thus, collective self-build is positively related to neighbourhood social cohesion, and neighbourhood social cohesion in turn is positively related to social satisfaction and absence of social loneliness. This is in line with for instance, Cramm & Nieboer (2015) who indicated that neighbourhood social cohesion strengthens a senior's social satisfaction through the presence of a high degree of social organisation and Weijs-Perrée et al (2017) who found that neighbourhood social cohesion substantiates the social satisfaction of a person. Similarly, Glass found a strong correlation between loneliness and sense of community on senior co-housing projects that were specifically designed to promote social interaction.…”

Emerald City? The case for situational capital in advancing our understanding of Irish immigrants’ attachment to New York City as place

“…Moreover, the analysis supports Weijs-Perrée et al (2017) contention that community-based leisure activities foster the social satisfaction needed to create a sense of place. Social events, particularly céilís and other dances, proved fertile third spaces for the cultivation of social relationships.…”

Loneliness of Older Adults: Social Network and the Living Environment

“…As older adults spend more time in the neighborhood and stay longer in the same living environment than younger (working) adults [18], neighborhood contacts are important for stimulating social inclusion, place attachment, and social satisfaction [19,20]. In addition to the social structure of the living environment, previous studies also showed relationships between the physical living environment (e.g., type of housing, urban density, and amenities), social participation, and eventually feelings of loneliness [11,21,22]. Furthermore, evidence for the effects of sociodemographic and mobility characteristics on older adults’ feelings of loneliness has been found [23,24,25].…”