How residential density relates to social interactions? Similarities and differences of moderated mediation models in gated and non-gated communities
Introduction
Although some scholars have indicated the importance of social interactions which occur in residential environments (Abdul Aziz and Sani Ahmad, 2012, Abu-Ghazzeh, 1999), decision-makers use a wide variety of indicators, such as compactness, centrality, quantitative density, complexity, and land-use mix to examine and describe the correlations between urban form and environmental sustainability (Säynäjoki et al., 2014). On the one hand, different density measurement criteria have been utilized for explaining the association between the built environment and social aspects of housing (Boyko and Cooper, 2011). On the other hand, there are conflicting arguments regarding the drawbacks and social benefits of higher densities (Tang et al., 2019), especially in the context of developing countries. Several studies have highlighted the importance of housing layout and physical attributes of the residential environment in explaining social outcomes (e.g., Abu-Ghazzeh, 1999). Nevertheless, the subjective judgment regarding these attributes may affect one’s behaviors and attitudes more extensively than physical features (Thornock et al., 2019).
According to social psychological theory, physical density is only one factor affecting residents' feelings of crowdedness; a more critical factor is how a particular level of density is evaluated (Altman, 1975). This is an emphasis not only on the effects of high density but on the individual and situational determinants of crowding perceptions (Gramann, 1982). Hence, some findings emphasize individual experiences and perceptions in exploring relations between density and social interactions (e.g., Dave, 2011; Raman, 2010; Mousavinia et al., 2019).
To understand the multi-dimensional nature of high-density environments, the internal and external densities must be distinguished. Particularly, distance (from others within the communal spaces) and crowding (feeling too close to others in a dwelling unit) are two environmental elements that could be interpreted differently based on the perceptions of people (Thornock et al., 2019). A severe gap with the argument about density is that the present literature deals with density in a separate spatial unit (like a room and a dwelling unit) irrelevant to its external setting. Also, in these studies, it is assumed that there is no difference between gated and non-gated neighborhoods in terms of crowding models. According to social context differences, it is entirely possible that gated communities do not have the same kind of function than they have in non-gated communities. In Iran with a historical legacy of at least enclosed residential areas and relatively large households, gated communities are likely to operate differently than in a country like Canada or Australia with legacies of wide-open landscapes and large lots. Issues such as crowding within the dwelling unit are less likely to be a challenge in gated communities in western nations where the gated enclaves are often high-end and occupied by very small households. Based on this gap in the literature, the current work evaluates the direct and indirect links between perceived density, perceived interior crowding, and social interactions in gated and non-gated communities and discusses the similarities and differences in structural models.
First, considering social interactions as a considerable outcome related to the concept of the gated communities, this study focuses on the physical attributes of the residential environment influencing the perceived density and social outcomes through mediating role of territoriality. The second objective of this research is to understand social processes in gated and non-gated communities based on perceptual aspects due to housing layout and semi-public spaces (through perceived density) as well as the perceived characteristics of the home environment (through perceived interior crowding). Few studies have focused on perceived interior crowding to moderate the associations between perceived density and social interactions. This paper intends to investigate the relations between variables using structural equation modeling (SEM-PLS).
Section snippets
Housing policies, gated, and non-gated communities in Iran
While European and North American countries maintain or increase residential densities, many rapidly growing cities in developing countries have high densities already (Raman, 2010). The urban geography of Iranian cities is rooted in various historical and cultural trends with rapid urbanization and population migration from rural to urban areas (Kalantari et al., 2017). The emergence of high-density developments has been accompanied by the heterogeneity of urban residents who demand diverse
Research model and hypotheses
Some findings emphasized the effect of control in relation between density and social outcomes (Evans and Lepore, 1997, p.269; Gormley and Aiello, 1982; Altman, 1975) and in particular highlighted the mediational role of territoriality in relation between perceived density and social interactions in gated communities (Mousavinia et al., 2019). Although it is essential to understand how perceived density-induced from design and housing layout- may influence social outcomes for specific
Descriptive statistics
Table 3 presents factor loading for indicators, Cronbach's Alpha, Composite Reliability (CR), and Average Variance Extracted (AVE) for each variable. While, in gated areas visual exposure and overlooking has high factor loading in perceived density indicators, visual relations to communal open spaces and the presence of greenery are important in non-gated areas.
The moderated mediation models
After standardizing the data, multicollinearity tests were conducted. It was found that the variance inflation factors (VIF) of all
Discussion
The present research contributes to the human-oriented approach to density in two ways. First, by focusing on perceived density, this work examined the effect of residential density and housing layout on social outcomes. Second by testing mediation moderated models in two groups of gated and non-gated communities, this investigation explored the potential of perceived interior crowding to moderate the relationships between perceived density and social ties in the study areas.
Conclusion
Although the density is crucial to managing the sustainability of urban areas, some concerns have emerged about its social impacts in high-density environments. On the one hand, due to the necessity of implementing a more people-oriented urbanization policy, there is now a growing body of literature measuring social impacts of residential density based on individuals’ perceptions and emphasizing the effects of the built environment. On the other hand, in some countries, when planners propose a
Funding
This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
S. Fatemeh Mousavinia is an assistant professor in Architecture Department at the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. Her research examines processes connecting physical environments to human behavior in housing areas.
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S. Fatemeh Mousavinia is an assistant professor in Architecture Department at the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. Her research examines processes connecting physical environments to human behavior in housing areas.