Contributions of journeys away to the definition of home: An empirical study of a dialectical process

Theory about home holds that dialectical or contrasting experiences contribute to the definition and meaning of home. Journeys from home are considered an important source of these contrasting experiences. This study is an empirical assessment of this relationship. Using qualitative methods, 22 subjects representing 11 households were asked to relate their experiences and feelings about being away from home for both short- and long-term trips. Findings support the theoretical importance of dialectical experiences. Contrasts to daily household routine and interaction with other people that arise from the experience of being away from home are found to be important to the definition of home. People need to get out of their homes to appreciate the taken-for-granted order to life provided by daily household routine. People also need to be away to recognize that interaction with friends and neighbors is an important part of home life. While these results support the findings of prior research, they also provide empirical evidence for the phenomenological concept 'being at home'. (C) 1996 Academic Press Limited