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UNIT 6

RESIDENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL

PSYCHOLOGY

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Definition of Home/ResidenceDefinition of Home/Residence

The home/residence is a primary environment of greatest importance.

It is a place where many important human needs are satisfied (e.g., eating, sleeping, loving, studying).

It is a place of maximum privacy, predictability, and control.

Congruence of physical design and ability to engage in important activities.

The home/residence is a primary environment of greatest importance.

It is a place where many important human needs are satisfied (e.g., eating, sleeping, loving, studying).

It is a place of maximum privacy, predictability, and control.

Congruence of physical design and ability to engage in important activities.

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Privacy in the homePrivacy in the home

Privacy is a critical feature of the home environment.

In home environments many areas are off limits to visitors - “privacy gradient”

Rank order the following areas with regard to being off-limits to strangers: your bedroom, family room, living room, kitchen,

entrance foyer, dining room, bathroom, home office, study room

Cross-cultural differences in which areas of the home are open v. s. off limits to various types of visitors In Peru & Poland the kitchen is very private. In US bedrooms (off limits, unless indicated by the

hosts)

Privacy is a critical feature of the home environment.

In home environments many areas are off limits to visitors - “privacy gradient”

Rank order the following areas with regard to being off-limits to strangers: your bedroom, family room, living room, kitchen,

entrance foyer, dining room, bathroom, home office, study room

Cross-cultural differences in which areas of the home are open v. s. off limits to various types of visitors In Peru & Poland the kitchen is very private. In US bedrooms (off limits, unless indicated by the

hosts)

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  Encompasses many functions:leisure and recreationrest and sleepfamily interactionbiological functionsworksymbolic expression and emotional

attachment

  Encompasses many functions:leisure and recreationrest and sleepfamily interactionbiological functionsworksymbolic expression and emotional

attachment

Functions of the homeFunctions of the home

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The industrial revolution moved the function of work out of the home.

The computer revolution is placing work back into the home.

Dual income families have required changes in home design.Larger bathrooms & bedrooms to accommodate both people getting ready for work at the same time.

A “space for her” is added.

The industrial revolution moved the function of work out of the home.

The computer revolution is placing work back into the home.

Dual income families have required changes in home design.Larger bathrooms & bedrooms to accommodate both people getting ready for work at the same time.

A “space for her” is added.

Work and the home: changes in space needs

Work and the home: changes in space needs

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Home also provides a number of symbolic functions

Provides a sense of place and identity: Who am I? Sense of identity through

place What kind of person am I? (wealthy, free

spirit, modern, arty, etc.)

Home also provides a number of symbolic functions

Provides a sense of place and identity: Who am I? Sense of identity through

place What kind of person am I? (wealthy, free

spirit, modern, arty, etc.)

Symbolic expression and emotional attachment

Symbolic expression and emotional attachment

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What kind of person would be most likely to choose the following homes? Bungalow Semi-D Double Storey Terrace Single Storey Terrace Apartment Condominium

Based on Age Sex Socio-economic status Occupation Attitudes

What kind of person would be most likely to choose the following homes? Bungalow Semi-D Double Storey Terrace Single Storey Terrace Apartment Condominium

Based on Age Sex Socio-economic status Occupation Attitudes

Home stereotypesHome stereotypes

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RootednessRootedness

Rootedness Indicator needs & satisfaction McAndrew: (1998). The measurement of

rootedness and the prediction of attachment to home-towns in college students.

 Sentimental and emotional attachment to the home A person may be overwhelmed by emotion when as an adult they return to their childhood home  

Rootedness Indicator needs & satisfaction McAndrew: (1998). The measurement of

rootedness and the prediction of attachment to home-towns in college students.

 Sentimental and emotional attachment to the home A person may be overwhelmed by emotion when as an adult they return to their childhood home  

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1.Generic place dependence - Attachment to a certain type of environment or region

2. Geographic place dependence- Attachment to a specific place

Idea that there are individual differences in degree of attachment to places

Individuals with strong geographic place attachment may experience homesickness attention focus on home related thinking and activity and

desire to go back home Development of a scale to measure rootedness

16 items were tested on 134 college students. Two subscales ( desire for change & home and family

satisfaction)

1.Generic place dependence - Attachment to a certain type of environment or region

2. Geographic place dependence- Attachment to a specific place

Idea that there are individual differences in degree of attachment to places

Individuals with strong geographic place attachment may experience homesickness attention focus on home related thinking and activity and

desire to go back home Development of a scale to measure rootedness

16 items were tested on 134 college students. Two subscales ( desire for change & home and family

satisfaction)

2 Types of attachment2 Types of attachment

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Typology of residences (Altman)

Typology of residences (Altman)

1. Permanent/temporary

2. Differentiated/homogenous interior

3. Communal/noncommunal living arrangement

4. Identity/communality

5. Openness/closedness to outsiders

1. Permanent/temporary

2. Differentiated/homogenous interior

3. Communal/noncommunal living arrangement

4. Identity/communality

5. Openness/closedness to outsiders

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1. Permanent/temporary 1. Permanent/temporary

Is the residence Permanent or temporary? E.g. People are more attach to a

house that they ‘own’ rather than rent.

Would you spend a lot on your renting resident? Why?

Is the residence Permanent or temporary? E.g. People are more attach to a

house that they ‘own’ rather than rent.

Would you spend a lot on your renting resident? Why?

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How differentiated/homogenous its interior is….

Related to the functions of rooms A highly differentiated residence has many rooms

Each room has a specific activity A homogenous residence almost any activity may

occur in nearly any room.

Differentiation is a function of wealth

How differentiated/homogenous its interior is….

Related to the functions of rooms A highly differentiated residence has many rooms

Each room has a specific activity A homogenous residence almost any activity may

occur in nearly any room.

Differentiation is a function of wealth

2. Differentiated/homogenous2. Differentiated/homogenous

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3. Communal/noncommunal3. Communal/noncommunal

Communal/noncommunal of the living arrangements The degree to which nuclear families

live together or in different homes

Communal/noncommunal of the living arrangements The degree to which nuclear families

live together or in different homes

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4. Identity/communality4. Identity/communality

Identity/communality Is the residence distinctive from comparable

ones around it? Specific name given? Specific colours/identity that makes it distict

from other houses

Identity/communality Is the residence distinctive from comparable

ones around it? Specific name given? Specific colours/identity that makes it distict

from other houses

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5. Openness/closedness5. Openness/closedness

Openness/closedness to outsiders is entry inviting or not residents are warm or cool to casual

visitors culturally related.

Openness/closedness to outsiders is entry inviting or not residents are warm or cool to casual

visitors culturally related.

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Type of residence is related toCulture Stage in life cycle Socio-economic statusArchitectural design Personal characteristics of the dwellers

Type of residence is related toCulture Stage in life cycle Socio-economic statusArchitectural design Personal characteristics of the dwellers

Type of residenceType of residence

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Approach #1: Classify it on each of the five physical structure- and use-dimensions: How differentiated/homogenous is the interior How communal are the living arrangements

Approach #2: Financial What is the monetary value of the dwelling?

Approach #3: Such as in Advertisement Age Architectural style Size No of rooms

Approach #1: Classify it on each of the five physical structure- and use-dimensions: How differentiated/homogenous is the interior How communal are the living arrangements

Approach #2: Financial What is the monetary value of the dwelling?

Approach #3: Such as in Advertisement Age Architectural style Size No of rooms

How can a residence/home be measured?

How can a residence/home be measured?

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Approach #4: To measure the quality of a residence for a particular purpose. E.g., child development – the quality of a residence

for children Scales usually measure both the physical

environment of the residence (e.g., its cleanliness, size, or form) and its social environment (e.g., positiveness of parents’ vocal tone, number of stories read).

Approach #4: To measure the quality of a residence for a particular purpose. E.g., child development – the quality of a residence

for children Scales usually measure both the physical

environment of the residence (e.g., its cleanliness, size, or form) and its social environment (e.g., positiveness of parents’ vocal tone, number of stories read).

How can a residence/home be measured?

How can a residence/home be measured?

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Preferences are more predictable from:: Person’s values (personal factors) Physical form of the residence (architectural factors) Economic factors

e.g., income and cost of the residence Distance

Preferences are more predictable from:: Person’s values (personal factors) Physical form of the residence (architectural factors) Economic factors

e.g., income and cost of the residence Distance

Residential preference, choice, and satisfaction

Residential preference, choice, and satisfaction

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1. Personal

2. Social

3. Physical

4. Culture

1. Personal

2. Social

3. Physical

4. Culture

Factors influencing residential satisfaction

Factors influencing residential satisfaction

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Personal influences on housing satisfaction depends on: Age and Stage of Life Socioeconomic Status Sex and Social Role Personality and Values Comparisons Dreams of the Future

Personal influences on housing satisfaction depends on: Age and Stage of Life Socioeconomic Status Sex and Social Role Personality and Values Comparisons Dreams of the Future

1. Personal influences on housing satisfaction

1. Personal influences on housing satisfaction

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Neighbors Norms

Usual housing arrangements eg. For elderly people social norms for privacy and independence are important factors when they select a living arrangement

Priority of others: living-group interaction Negotiation before selecting/renting a house.

The shape of privacy, security, and social interaction: For privacy houses are more differentiated For security houses are smaller less territory to defend

and keep occupants closer together to aid in the defense of the house

For social interaction houses are designed to have greater visibility among their interior spaces and more rounded walls (socio-petal design)

Neighbors Norms

Usual housing arrangements eg. For elderly people social norms for privacy and independence are important factors when they select a living arrangement

Priority of others: living-group interaction Negotiation before selecting/renting a house.

The shape of privacy, security, and social interaction: For privacy houses are more differentiated For security houses are smaller less territory to defend

and keep occupants closer together to aid in the defense of the house

For social interaction houses are designed to have greater visibility among their interior spaces and more rounded walls (socio-petal design)

2. Social Influences2. Social Influences

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Housing form Single-family dwelling residents were found to be

more satisfied than apartment residents. Architectural style

Follows fashion and culture. Interior

Height of ceiling Arrangement of rooms Color

Outdoor areas Space for gardening, nearby green spaces.

Housing form Single-family dwelling residents were found to be

more satisfied than apartment residents. Architectural style

Follows fashion and culture. Interior

Height of ceiling Arrangement of rooms Color

Outdoor areas Space for gardening, nearby green spaces.

3. Physical Influences3. Physical Influences

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Cultural Influences Italian Red-tile villas of suburbanites Portuguese the bright pastel exteriors of houses Mid America white farmhouses Traditional Malacca decorative front steps Minangkabau roof the shape of buffalos horn Long houses in sarawak

Cultural Influences Italian Red-tile villas of suburbanites Portuguese the bright pastel exteriors of houses Mid America white farmhouses Traditional Malacca decorative front steps Minangkabau roof the shape of buffalos horn Long houses in sarawak

4. Cultural Influences4. Cultural Influences

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BEHAVIOR OF RESIDENTS

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1. Arrangement of spaces in the house

2. The spatial ecology of home

3. Privacy conflicts

4. Cooperation-capitulation arrangements

1. Arrangement of spaces in the house

2. The spatial ecology of home

3. Privacy conflicts

4. Cooperation-capitulation arrangements

Behavior Of Residents Includes:Behavior Of Residents Includes:

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1. Arrangement of spaces in the house People personalize their living spaces

Although the residences may look identical on the outside It depends on personality, culture, and SES

2. The spatial ecology of home Who does what, Where? Women, Men, Children, and

Territory In the kitchen Fully employed women spent more time in the

kitchen than fully employed men In the living room, bathroom, and bedrooms women spent more

time than men in the company of others – usually children women have less privacy at home

In living rooms, men spent more time than women engaged in leisure activities

1. Arrangement of spaces in the house People personalize their living spaces

Although the residences may look identical on the outside It depends on personality, culture, and SES

2. The spatial ecology of home Who does what, Where? Women, Men, Children, and

Territory In the kitchen Fully employed women spent more time in the

kitchen than fully employed men In the living room, bathroom, and bedrooms women spent more

time than men in the company of others – usually children women have less privacy at home

In living rooms, men spent more time than women engaged in leisure activities

Behavior Of Residents Includes:Behavior Of Residents Includes:

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3. Privacy conflicts3. Privacy conflictsPrivacy conflicts may occur depending

on:- Which activity a person is engaged inWhich parent or child desires accessThe size of the home,The accepted child-rearing practices in the

home.The privacy conflicts can be solved by:-

Time territory strategies involve rotating a particular space among family members

Space territory strategies that place conflicting activities in different parts of the home;

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4. Cooperation-capitulation arrangements

4. Cooperation-capitulation arrangements

Cooperation-capitulation arrangements occur when:-A dominant family member determines the

family activities that everyone will engage in one activity,

together, at the same time.

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Consequences of Household Spatial Arrangements to residents’ behaviors: communal vs. non-communalchild-rearing practices

Home Leisure is strongly affected by the size and differentiation of the home

Consequences of Household Spatial Arrangements to residents’ behaviors: communal vs. non-communalchild-rearing practices

Home Leisure is strongly affected by the size and differentiation of the home

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Residential Mobility

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Residential MobilityResidential MobilityA normal process often caused by life-

cycle changes:Mobility due to illness Change of occupation/school Personal reasonsPersonal characteristicsSocial economic status Marriage status (eg. single parent)Culture

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Residential Environmental Design

Residential Environmental Design

Task of an Environmental Task of an Environmental Psychologist Psychologist To upgrade the living environment Suggesting suitable designs

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Eg: Homes for Single-Parent Families

Eg: Homes for Single-Parent Families

On-site or nearby child care facilities so parents feel better about working

An open kitchen/living room area so parent can cook and watch their children at the same time

Separate areas for children and parents Close proximity to public transportation

single parents often cannot afford cars Classroom space

a crucial part of escaping the poverty cycle is education

Indoor as well as outdoor play space

On-site or nearby child care facilities so parents feel better about working

An open kitchen/living room area so parent can cook and watch their children at the same time

Separate areas for children and parents Close proximity to public transportation

single parents often cannot afford cars Classroom space

a crucial part of escaping the poverty cycle is education

Indoor as well as outdoor play space