Exploring the benefits of place attachment

Place attachment, an emotional bond that people can experience with a specific location or area, is known to increase well-being and happiness. However, less is known about the ways in which place attachment benefits overall wellness. Previous research indicates that benefits include reinforcing connections to ancestors, creating social ties and a sense of community, and encouraging goal attainment. For example, feeling attached to a place, such as a gym, may motivate a person to exercise more frequently and help him/her achieve their goal to live a healthy lifestyle. Research suggests that the degree to which one feels place attachment may grow as a person spends more time in a particular place and develops a greater sense of ownership. This study aimed to explore the psychological benefits of place attachment and how these benefits might differ across demographics.

This study took place in Canada, where the authors used an online study recruitment platform to survey participants of varying ethnicities, educational backgrounds, and professions. The study included 43 male and 49 female participants between ages 18-53. On the survey, participants were provided a definition of place attachment. Then, they were asked to describe a place where they felt attachment and the associated qualitative benefits they received from that attachment. The researchers analyzed the open-ended survey responses for patterns and themes.

The study identified 13 benefits of place attachment, which are listed below in order from most commonly mentioned to least commonly mentioned:

1. Memories were often connected to a place of attachment. This response was also often linked with ancestral connections in a place.
2. A sense of belonging involved feeling accepted and comfortably at home in a place. This could be because of the physical place itself or the relationships fostered in a place.
3. Relaxation, meaning the place allowed for restoration of energy and mental wellness.
4. Positive emotions resulted from visiting the place to which participants had an attachment.
5. Activity support meant the place provided a location for participants to practice their hobbies, which demonstrated how place attachment can support recreational and professional goals.
6. Comfort and security in both psychological and physical ways.
7. Personal growth signified either by personal efforts at growth or through the activities conducted in the space that led to personal growth.
8. Freedom, or the ability to control the space and themselves in that place.
9. Entertainment, or finding stimulation in their place through activities offered in the space.
10. Connection to nature in the place of attachment. This connection was especially found in places where wildlife encounters occurred.
11. Practical benefits and convenience as a reason for attachment.
12. An attachment because of the privacy offered in the place.
13. The aesthetic beauty of a location led to place attachment.

Of the 97 participants, only 3 indicated no place attachment. Instead, they described themselves as being more reliant on interpersonal relationships than on place attachments. The authors found that the most commonly mentioned places in responses were homes, neighborhoods, cities, regions, vacation spaces, rooms, and outdoor areas. An analysis of results across demographics indicated that attachment did not differ across age groups, meaning that middle-aged and young adults gained similar benefits from place attachment. In addition, the researchers assessed how housing tenure—renting or owning—may affect place attachment but found no significant difference. Lastly, the results demonstrated that females mentioned memory support as a benefit significantly more than males.

The study found that types of places resulted in different psychological benefits. Cities were correlated with memory and belonging benefits (1 and 2 above); both were found in more than 80% of descriptions of cities. In contrast, outdoor settings provided relaxation (81.3% of outdoor descriptions), memories (62.5%), and activity support (56.3%); however, outdoor places did not provide physical or psychological security while houses did. Vacation locations were correlated with relaxation (66.7% of vacation descriptions), belonging (58.3%), and memories (91.7%).

The study was limited in that it was based on survey responses. Conducting in-depth interviews may have provided more information about the amount of time spent in the place and further specific detail about the wellness benefits experienced from the place attachment. In addition, the survey was taken online, so only those who had access to the internet and free time to take surveys were able to participate. Therefore, the results are not generalizable to the larger population. Another study undertaken in a different location or another way may produce different results.

Based on the benefits associated with place attachment, the authors recommend that educational or therapy settings use visualization of outdoor areas to provide psychological benefits, such as a sense of relaxation. EE programs that incorporate outdoor activities should consider that cultivating place attachment can provide wellness benefits to participants.