Crime Victimization, Place Attachment, and the Moderating Role of Neighborhood Social Ties and Neighboring Behavior

Abstract:

Place attachment is the development of a psychological and emotional bond between an individual and their environmental setting. While positive experiences in the residential neighborhood are central to ongoing develop-ment of people–place bonds, whether negative experiences erode place attachment remains unknown. In this study, we explore the relationship between crime victimization, social ties, neighboring behaviors, and place attachment in Brisbane, Australia. Using multilevel linear modeling, we examine whether negative experiences, specifically crime victimization, in the residential neighborhood affect residents’ attachment to place. We also explore whether this relationship is moderated by neighborhood social ties and/or interactions with neighbors. Results indicate that the negative impact of victimization in the residential neighborhood on place attachment is attenuated through frequent social and/or functional interactions with neighbors.