2.a Perception of place Flashcards
Age
Perception of places change as we get older and go through various life stages
* Moving through life cycle individuals residence changes and moves are often linked to changes in income or family size
* needs and functions of place change
* older - more time - more memories - highr emotional attachment
What are the five factors affecting perception of place?
- age
- gender
- role
- sexuality
- religion
Gender
- Traditionally many places defined as ‘male’ or ‘female’ → sparks feeling of isolation and negative
- A significant divide is seen between public and private spaces with a large western notion that women are in private places of the home while men are in public spaces i.e. offices and factories → women isolated on workplace as seen as ‘male’
- Safety plays a massive role leading to fear of this mental mapping making people avoid places they perceive to be unsafe and dangerous.
- ‘Geography of fear’ - some people which may cause for them to restrict personal geography
What is geography of fear?
A place that is perceived to be dangerous by people. This can be affected by gender,age, sexuality, ethnicity
Sexuality
As the acceptance rate becomes more widespread, some places that acquire a meaning of LGBT tend to cluster.
- people cluster in a place they can be themselves
- In some cities LGBT zones are ‘mapped’ out - have concentrations of gay bars and restaurants e.g ‘gay village’ in manchester
*
Religion - general argument
People have given places a spiritual meaning for millennials
* Some landscape features are sacred to certain humans - uluru rock to aboriginals
* Humans have long given religious meanings through buildings - ancient stones / stonehenge
- Christianity, Judaism and Islam give meaning through mosques, churches and synagogues.
Jerusalem is a significant place with meanings for all 3 religions
Judaism - represents most sacred site and ancient capital of jewish state
Christianity - site of christ’s resurrection and crucifixion
Island - site of muhammad’s night journey
Religion - positive
If their religion is reflected
* more included
* feel appraciated
* positive community feel
religion - negative
- osteracised
- excluded
- isolated
negative view
Role
Each of us performs a variety of roles and different times even within the same day.
- The role we have at one time can influence our perceptions of a location
- influence how we behave
- As we go through life we lose and gain roles - as we change so do our attitudes and perceptions of places
- Role influences perceptions of fear insecurity and anxiety → which are reflected in the way boundaries are used to include or exclude people within activities - such as mother fear of a city being scary
What is an emotional attachment to a place mean?
Viewing a place in a certain way it can be positive or negative but the place as meaning
Why are emotional attachments differing to people?
Memory is a personal thing due to the fact that experiences are unique to us. → memories are also highly selective so we only remember a few
Explains why some places are emotional attachment to some and not to others > as memories attached
What are the two ways we develop emotional attachment to a place?
- personal experiences
- social experiences
How do personal experiences influence emotional attachments to a place?
If we have a positive experience of a place we are likely to have a strong emotional attachment to that place and vice versa.
How do social experiences affect perception of place?
We can receive memories and feelings as part of a group e.g the very strong emotional attachments some sports fans feel to their team’s home ground.
OR negative such as Auschwits = heightened emotions and negative feel of space
Groups Kurds - attachment
- ethnic group across syria iraq and Iran
- Not a state or recognised nation
- connected through the longing of their land to be recognised and the collective suffering
- want collective establishment of their community
