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Research shows a strong connection between a person's quality of life and sense of belonging
Rooted in the neighborhood leads to a happier life. New research shows that belonging to an inclusive social environment is essential to creating a sense of belonging. There is a strong connection between feeling “at home” where we live and our quality of life. But what makes us feel at home in a place or a sense of belonging, as researchers say? It is important to have access to nature and things like shops and public transport. But even more important is the social environment we surround ourselves with. The fact that both the material...
Research shows a strong connection between a person's quality of life and sense of belonging
Rooted in the neighborhood leads to a happier life. New research shows that belonging to an inclusive social environment is essential to creating a sense of belonging.
There is a strong connection between feeling “at home” where we live and our quality of life.
But what makes us feel at home in a place or a sense of belonging, as researchers say? It is important to have access to nature and things like shops and public transport. But even more important is the social environment we surround ourselves with.
The fact that both the material and social environment are crucial to our quality of life and our sense of belonging is relevant when we plan future living environments.”
Jan Georg Friesinger, associate professor
In a new study, he and colleagues at the University of Agder (UiA) examined the responses of more than 28,000 adults from 30 municipalities who took part in the Agder public health survey in 2019.
To assess people's quality of life, researchers focused on three questions:
- Wie zufrieden sind Sie heute insgesamt mit Ihrem Leben?
- Inwieweit halten Sie die Dinge, die Sie im Leben tun, insgesamt für sinnvoll?
- Denken Sie darüber nach, wie Sie sich in den letzten 7 Tagen gefühlt haben. Inwieweit haben Sie sich glücklich gefühlt?
Strong correlation
There has been a lot of international research into sustainable environments and public health. It is known that we experience a higher quality of life when we feel connected to our homeland.
The UiA study examines the importance of factors such as access to nature and services, noise and social environment for people to thrive where they live and how this in turn relates to quality of life.
"Material and social variables were very strong factors that explained the extent to which participants experienced place attachment and quality of life. There is a significant relationship between these," says Friesinger.
Consequences for urban development
Survey participants placed great emphasis on the social aspects of the local environment. It's about having friends, places to meet, and good relationships with your neighbors. When you feel lonely, you also feel less tied to one place.
"This should have consequences for the development of our cities and communities, for example by creating meeting places. Feeling safe in your environment helps you to root yourself in the place," says Friesinger.
Noise is a disadvantage
The study shows that material aspects in close proximity are important for place attachment, although to a lesser extent than social aspects. While nearby nature and good local amenities have a positive effect, noise has the opposite effect.
"Noise from motorways or airports has a very negative impact on local connections. When planning roads, it is important to consider measures that reduce or prevent noise," says Friesinger.
However, research also shows that people become accustomed to noise over time. Some international research even suggests that noise is less disruptive if you already have a strong connection to where you live.
"Noise is one of the characteristics of a place that we tend to forget. We allow ourselves to be blinded by the aesthetics and forget that we perceive places with all our senses," says Friesinger.
Social and material factors
Friesinger emphasizes that the social and the material must be seen together. He believes that, for example, parks should be created to create meeting places for everyone.
"We know that social factors are more important for local attachment than material factors. But both factors contribute to it and thus to people's quality of life. We have to look at them together," says Friesinger.
Source:
Reference:
Friesinger, JG, et al. (2022) The importance of the social and material environment for place attachment and quality of life: Results from a large population-based health survey. Health and quality of life outcomes. doi.org/10.1186/s12955-022-02045-2.
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