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IAPS Conference 2004 - Vienna
Psycho-social Impact of Psycho-social Impact of a relocation process a relocation process
among elders:among elders:A longitudinal studyA longitudinal study
Fátima Bernardo – Psychology Department – Évora University
José Manuel Palma-Oliveira – F.P.C.E. Lisbon University
IAPS Conference 2004 - Vienna
- How changes in the place context can influence
identity of the subject or group?
Problema
- The relocation changes the relation of people with the space
(primary, secondary and public territory - Altman, 1975), the social
relationships, the place attachment and it has also an impact on
the resident’s identity.
Research Question:
IAPS Conference 2004 - Vienna
Objective
To understand the psychosocial impact among a group of elder people,
involved in a forced relocation that implies a significant alteration in the
physical and social characteristics of the neighbourhood and neighbours
To evaluate the impact of the relocation:
• the use of the space
• social relationships
• place attachment
• place identity
IAPS Conference 2004 - Vienna
Theorical Framework
Place Attachment
Breakwell’s Identity Process Model examined here, in an environmental context
4 principles:
- Continuity “(...) a strong attachment to place is thought to foster a sense of well-being, coherence, and continuity among past, present and future selves” (Pellow, 1992)
- Distinctiveness “place attachment promote and sustain the group identity through the places shared and with common symbolism” (Brown e Perkins, 1992)
- Self-esteem “the place attachment make more strong our self-esteem and our self-confidence” (Csikszentmihalyi, 1992)
- Self- efficacy “the place attachment is connected to the human need of environmental control” (Belk, 1992)
IAPS Conference 2004 - Vienna
Theorical Framework
Place AttachmentThe relocation process demands an interruption in the residents attachment to the physical and social residential environment.
There is a positive correlation between place attachment and difficulty to adaptation to the new residential area (e.g. Fried, 1993; Speller et al., 1993, 2001; Brown e Perkins, 1992; Stokols e Shumaker, 1982)
Use of the PlaceThe relocation usually introduces significant changes in the location, architecture and infrastructures of the neighbourhood that have a significant impact in the use of the space.
Social NetworksThe relocation processes, usually, has as consequence the break, interruption or disturbance in the established social networks or the loss of close friends or neighbours. Several studies show the importance of social networks in the social dynamic and life pattern of populations that live in old and poor urban areas, notably among elders (e.g.: Soczka, 1989; Borges, 1994)
IAPS Conference 2004 - Vienna
Liberdade Neighbourhood- ...-1993 Padre Cruz Neighbourhood–1993- 2001
Case-Study
A community relocation imposed by the City Council in order to build a New Motorway Across Lisbon
The majority of the population was relocated in a new neighbourhood called Padre Cruz
IAPS Conference 2004 - Vienna
Liberdade Neighbourhood
Spatial Characteristics Located in the centre of Lisbon, near of the most privileged areas
Traditional and old neighbourhood, with some slum areas
Neighbourhood structure:
• residences or small buildings with 2 or 3 floors
• most houses are very old, degradated
• some houses do not have basic infrastructures
• there are public services as showers, telephone and fountains.
The streets are mainly reserved to residents
The street is the continuum of the house itself in term of:
• some domestic activities
• recreation or resting place
The street is the privileged place for the social interaction
Strong attachment to the area
IAPS Conference 2004 - Vienna
Liberdade Neighbourhood
Social Networks
The most important source of friends is among the neighbours and family
Importance of the local functional support (friends and neighbours)
Neighbours known for long time and presence of many family elements in the area
Strong attachment to the neighbours
IAPS Conference 2004 - Vienna
Padre Cruz Neighbourhood
Spatial Characteristics
Located at the periphery of the city, in an spatial and urban discontinuity with the
main commercial centre
New area, build specially for relocation
Neighbourhood structure: 133 buildings with 5 or 6 floor with a central area
reserved for pedestrians
The neighbourhood is crossed by streets with a high traffic flow, particularly public
transportation
Street is refereed as the place of the “others”
This area was used to relocate people from different neighbourhoods and
belonging to different ethnical groups
Dispersion of the people from the old neighbourhood all over the new area
IAPS Conference 2004 - Vienna
Methodology
Several authors refer that involuntary relocations are long processes that begin with the knowledge of the necessity to move, and finish, somewhere, several years after, with the complete integration in the new space (e.g.: Wapner, 1981; Brown e Perkins, 1992)
It was developed a longitudinal research, that are considered the best way to study relocation situations, because it allows the understanding of the process itself (e.g.: Lee, 1990)
20 subjects were interviewed in three moments:
- before the relocation
- one year after the relocation
- six years after the relocation
IAPS Conference 2004 - Vienna
Interview Structure
1. socio-demographic characteristics
2. information about the old and the new neighbourhood
3. personal meanings of their house, settlement and local
4. the change process
5. identification of copying strategies
6. social networks
The interviews were taped, transcribed and content analysed
IAPS Conference 2004 - Vienna
Elders (> 65 years)
Relocated in the Padre Cruz Neighbourhood
Interviewed before and after the relocation
Retired
Residents in the neighbourhood during the last 20 years
Low social, economic and educational level
Sample Characteristics
IAPS Conference 2004 - Vienna
Results
There are important impacts of the relocation in the resident’s relationship with their physical and social environment.
Place Identity This study verifies that the change in the physical and social environment had impact
on the relocated people’s identity. It demanded a process of adjustment of the identity to the new space.
In the old neighbourhood it was verified that the place contributed to a positive identity of the residents
In the new neighbourhood it was verified that:
- The residents use the Old neighbourhood as an element of distintiveness from the others “We are different because we are from the Liberdade neighbourhood”
- Has elements of descontinuity between the past and the present
-The house contributed to the increased self-esteem and self-efficacy.
- The neighbourhood and neighbours contributed to the decreased self-esteem and self-efficacy
IAPS Conference 2004 - Vienna
Results
Place Attachment
In all the three moments, it was verified, a strong attachment to the old neighbourhood and neighbours, and a generic feeling of no belonging to the new area.
This feeling was present in expressions like “we” to refer to the residents of the Liberdade neighbourhood, and “the others” to the residents of the new neighbourhood.
Despite, the subjects are very happy with the new houses.
The residents like the house and dislike the neighbourhood
IAPS Conference 2004 - Vienna
Results
Use of the Space
A dramatic reduction of the use of the semi-public and the public space
An increase of the time spend at home is verified
Social Networks
A significant reduction of the number of friends and daily social interactions with the neighbours
A reduction of the spontaneity of these meetings
To reduce this feeling they increase the interaction with the family, specially using the telephone
IAPS Conference 2004 - Vienna
Conclusions
As other studies, this research underlines the relationship between changes in
physical environment and identity, in the context of residential environment.
The Breakwell´s framework of Identity Process Theory included the environmental
context is an useful way of interpreting the impact of change across the relocation
period
Further work could examine under what conditions of change of physical
environment, socio-demographic and psychological characteristics of the
residents, people perceive the change as a threat to their identity.