Residential Satisfaction, Sense of Community, Belonging and Place

Community psychology differs from traditional approaches by addressing the ways familes, close social networks or communities function and support individual members. The question posed in this research is whether sense of community, sense of belonging and sense of place, influence residential satisfaction. Questionnaire results revealed that all three concepts do underpin residential satisfaction. Further exploration revealed that to a certain degree, residential satisfaction, sense of community and sense of place are interrelated constructs, while sense of belonging is not. This research provides a theoretical understanding of these perceptions and may assist policy makers and planners to develop better communities that foster personal engagement.

Autorentext

Kylie Smith received a Doctor of Psychology degree from Edith Cowan University, Western Australia. Her interests include community and environmental psychology. Currently, Kylie is a project officer working with the State Government of Western Australia and has extensive experience in research, policy, training and project management.