Social interactions at the neighborhood-level as a function of external space enclosure

The development of social contacts among neighbors is an important concern for many residents. Recent evidence suggests that social interactions occur relatively infrequently in contemporary urban neighborhoods. One intriguing hypothesis is that the frequency, of social interaction in single-family neighborhoods is partially associated with the perception of a well-defined space in the front of the house. In order to evaluate this hypothesis, a quasi-experimental design was utilized and face-to-face structured interviews were, conducted with residents in 110 single-family households in College Station, Texas. The results pointed to a small set of attributes of space enclosure components of single-family homes as potential moderators of patterns of social interaction. In particular, territorial markers, as a space enclosure component, predicted social interaction variables, while personal support was associated with almost all space enclosure components. The results of this study suggest that the traditional separation of house and yard design is artificial and that residents tend to view their house and yard as components of home. 2004, Locke Science Publishing Company, Inc. Chicago, IL, USA All Rights Reserved.

Social interactions at the neighborhood-level as a function of external space enclosure Academic Article