Attachment and identity as related to a place and its perceived climate

This study examined the relations between place, climate, place attachment and place identity using Breakwell's four processes model of place identity (e.g. Twigger-Ross, Bonaiuto, and Breakwell. (2003). Identity Theories and Environmental Psychology, 203-233) as a framework. Following this, an influence of high vs. low attachment and urban vs. country(open-air)-person attitude on place (the City of Gothenburg, "Vallgraven", Sweden) related identity processes was examined. In line with Twigger-Ross and Uzzell (1996) (Place and Identity Processes, 205-220) it was hypothesized that high attachment, together with a congruent place identification, in this case urban-person attitude, would influence significantly more residents' place-related identity processes than low attachment and a place identification which was not congruent with where they were living, i.e. country(open-air)-person attitude. In addition it was hypothesized, in line with Knez (2003a) (The 5th international conference on urban climate (ICUC-5), September 2003, Lodz, Poland, Vol. 2, (2003a) pp. 69-72) that climate may be one of the meanings they attribute to the place. Empirical evidence on links between place attachment and place identity on urban vs. country(open-air)-person attitude and place identity were shown as well as a significant role of climate in subjects' conceptions of a place, especially for those considered to be highly attached to their residential area. This latter result presents a challenge to place theory, in general, not taking into account a place's climate (Knez (2003b). The 5th international conference on urban climate (ICUC-5), September 2003, Lodz, Poland 2 (2003b) 65-68)). Finally, structural equation modelling suggested a model of five place identity process as opposed to Breakwell's four processes model, and showed a significant link proceeding from residential time to place attachment to place identity. This latter result indicates that prolonging one's stay at a place intensifies one's emotional bond to that place which in turn leads that a place becomes more a part of one's conceptual and extended selves (Neisser (1998). Philosophical Psychology, 1, 35-59), in this context a part of the content of the five place-related identity processes of distinctiveness, referent continuity, congruent continuity, self-esteem and self-efficacy. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.