Brower, S., K. Dockett & R.B. Taylor, 1983, Residents’ perceptions of territorial features and perceived local threat, in: Environment and Behavior, 15, 6
- Author : Brower, S., K. Dockett & R.B. Taylor
- Year : 1983
- Journal/Series : Environment and Behavior
- Volume Number (ANNUAL: Counting Volumes of the Year shown above) : 6
- Volume Number (CONSECUTIVE: Counting all Volumes of this Journal ever published) : 15
- Pages : 419-437
- Abstract in English : The authors assume that physical elements in the environment acts as cues to territorial behaviours; that is that a person ‘s understanding about who belongs I a space who does not is based, in part, on an assessment of the physical elements associated with the space. Outsiders are discouraged from crossing a symbolic barrier unless the have a clear and socially accepted purpose, because they expect social censure or insider retribution. The present study represent an extension of earlier work on defensible space and territorial signs in two important directions that leads to two hypothesis: a. residents from a range of neighbourhoods would agree that territorial sign indicate the presence of residents with stronger territorial attitudes: b. in addition to (not instead of) the “main effects” expected for the presence of territorial signs, certain “interaction effects” would surface. Residents living in high problem areas were expected to perceive that more vivid or more redundant territorial signs were needed in order to maintain effectiveness. The study had demonstrated that real barriers, as well as territorial signs that reflect continuing care, are decoded by residents from a range of neighbourhoods as reflecting stronger residential territorial attitudes and behaviours. Furthermore, as local perceived threat increases, more redundant territorial displays are needed to maintain effective territorial functioning. Thus residents do have agreed-upon decodings of defensible space features and territorial signs, while at the same time the perceived efficacy of the features and signs depends on the contexts, as does the interpretation of a resident sitting out.
- Comments/Notes : KEYWORDS: territorial behaviours, neighbourhoods, territorial signs, territorial attitudes.