Community Attachment

Citation:

Janowitz, Morris and Kasadra, John. 1974. "Community Attachment in Mass Society." American Sociological Review 39 (3): 328-39

Basic Summary:

This article examined two different models of community attachment in mass society. The two models were the linear development model and the systemic model. These models were used to determine which factors played a part in the presence or absence of local bonds and community sentiments. The linear model believed that the size and density of a population played a large role in the local community attachment. Where as the systemic model believed the community was just a complex system of friendship, kinship, and associational networks where new residents and generations are welcomed as the community just keeps on growing and changing. This article is important to many people for many reasons. It is important to the common person because it may give them an idea of their neighbors may think and feel. It may also prove to be beneficial to companies interesting in opening a business in a certain area.

Hypothesis or Hypotheses:

The authors did not specifically state a hypothesis in this article but they were concerned with the effects of urbanization and industrialization on the social fabric of communities. In other words they wanted to know what the large and smaller factors were that affected people's attachment to their community.

Data Source and Method of Collection:

The authors used a sample survey that was conducted in Great Britain by Research Services, Ltd. in March 1967 to explore the impact of increased population size, density and residential mobility on local community organization. They reanalysised this survey to see how the sociological factors influenced the character of the local community's participation and attachment. 2199 people were used in this survey. Data on the demographic characteristics of the respondents local jurisdiction was also gathered.

Variables:

-Dependent Variables: There were two main dependent variables and several indicators of each variable listed in this article. The first dependent variable was local social bonds and some of the indicators were number of friends, number of relatives, formal organization membership, and participation in informal social activities. The second dependent variable was local community sentiments. The three indicators for this variable was sense of community, interest in community, and sorry to leave.

-Independent Variables: There were five independent variables. Population size was measured by the size of the respondent's local area. The population density was measured by the number of people per acre in the local ward/parish where the respondent resides. The length of residence ranged from less than one year to twenty plus years/being born there. Social class ranged from unskilled to professional and the non-working housewife and the retired were categorized by