The impact of earthquakes on residential wellbeing

In the Netherlands, the extraction of natural gas from the ground has led to soil subsidence and the occurrence of earthquakes. These earthquakes cause physical damage to buildings and also lead to psychological problems and decreased housing satisfaction. Research on the impact of natural hazards has shown that there is a complicated relationship between perceived risk, place attachment and coping behaviour. The current study provides further insight into this relationship. The research questions are the following:1) What is the relationship between place attachment and risk perception?2) What is the relationship between risk perception and the intention to move?3) Is the relationship between risk perception and intention to move influenced by place attachment?4) What is the role of psychological distress in the interaction between place attachment, risk perception and the intention to move?The results show that, in general, (1) residents with the highest level of attachment show the highest mean risk perception. Furthermore, (2) residents with a higher risk perception more frequently indicate that they intend to move. Moreover (3), there is an interaction between place attachment, perceived risk and the intention to move. Strongly attached residents show a high level of risk perception, but are less willing to move. Finally, (4) this finding cannot be explained by a low level of psychological distress in strongly attached residents as their level of psychological distress is relatively high

Why is Housing Always Satisfactory? A Study into the Impact of Preference and Experience on Housing Appreciation

This study focuses on residents’ perceptions of residential quality concerning 23 different dwelling aspects. Respondents were asked to indicate their appreciation of these dwelling aspects on a scale ranging from 0 (‘‘extremely unattractive’’) to 100 (‘‘extremely attractive’’). The influence of two potential factors on the appreciation of dwelling aspects is examined: (1) preference and (2) experience. It was hypothesized that residents who live according to their preferences give higher appreciation scores than residents who do not. This should even apply to low-quality housing. Furthermore, it was argued that residents appreciate their current housing situation more than residents who do not live in that particular housing situation. This effect should be independent of preference. The impact of both preference and of experience could be confirmed. The results also showed an interaction effect between preference and experience: the positive effect of experience on appreciation is larger in residents who live in a housing situation that they do not prefer. This result would be expected if the impact of experience works to decrease the ‘gap’ in residential satisfaction due to the discrepancy between what residents have and what they want. In conclusion, why is housing always satisfactory? In this paper, housing is satisfactory because the ‘gap’ between what residents want and what they have is small; residents seem to have realistic aspirations. Furthermore, residents appreciate what they already have, even if this is not what they prefer.OTB Research Institute for the Built Environmen

The added value of lifestyle variables: The search continues

Introduction: People’s preferences for residential environments have long been predicted on the basis of sociodemographic characteristics alone. Recently, however, some researchers argue that these variables no longer suffice to explain and predict preferences and that they should be supplemented with lifestyle variables. The current study explores this assumption for a number of housing preferences. For this purpose, a lifestyle typology has been developed that is based on universal requirements of human nature and interests (individualistic value-orientation versus collectivistic value-orientation). Methods: Data were collected though telephone interviews in January and February 2010. Respondents were asked to indicate the importance of 29 values, such as pleasure, as a guiding principle in housing. Together, these values form two domains: an individualistic oriented value system and a collectivistic oriented value system. These were used to distinguish four lifestyle categories: 1) low in both individualistic and collectivistic value-orientation (n = 593, 38%), 2) mostly individualistic value-orientation (n = 262, 174%, 3) mostly collectivistic value-orientation (n = 174, 11%), and, 4) high in both individualistic and collectivistic valueorientation (n = 524, 34%). Results: The four lifestyle groups differ statistically significantly with regard to age, income, education, gender, having paid work and household type. Current housing characteristics (in respondents who are not willing to move) and preferred housing characteristics (in respondents that are willing to move) are compared between the four groups. A number of statistically significant differences in housing preferences between the four groups are observed. However, after correction for socio-demographic variables many of these differences disappear, indicating that they are a result of differences in socio-demographic variables and not of differences in actual housing preferences between the four groups. Conclusion: Values may have some additional worth for explaining and predicting housing preferences, especially in cases where socio-demographic variables alone fall short. However, their impact on housing preferences seems to be rather limited.OTB Research Institute for the Built Environmen

The Impact of Socio-Demographic Characteristics, Objective Housing Quali-ty and Preference on Residential Satisfaction

Residential satisfaction is an important topic in the domain of housing. It refers to the individuals’ appraisal of the conditions of their residential environment, in relation to their needs, expectations and achievements. In the current study respondents were asked to indicate their residential satisfaction on a scale ranging from 1 (very dissatisfied) to 10 (very satisfied). In general, the respondents are quite satisfied (mean satisfaction = 8.2; n = 1557). With the use of regression analyses, the impact of socio-demographic characteristics and objective housing quality on residential satisfaction is explored. A statistically significant impact is observed for tenure, age, number of persons in household, dwelling type, liveliness of neighborhood, size of outdoors space and dwelling ‘value’ (R2 = 18%). The study also explored the impact of preference on satisfaction. Surprisingly, the results showed that respondents who lived in accordance to their preferences were as satisfied as those who did not.OTB Research Institute for the Built Environmen

Understanding preferences for the residential environment using Affordance-based theory

The decreasing importance of socio-economic factors in choosing a place to live gives more room to other motivational factors. These can be examined using affordance-based theory (Gibson, 1979), which explores what use the environment has to the user. In a telephone survey, 738 respondents were asked for their preferred residential environment and the underlying motivations. 36% prefer to live in a smaller municipality, 32% at the city edge, 13% outside the built-up environment and 11% in the city center (7% indifferent). The following affordances were linked to each type. City center: amenities, the ambiance outside, performing activities, an exciting life and social contact. City edge: peace and quiet and accessibility of the dwelling and of amenities. Smaller municipality: social contact, well-being, peace and quiet, the ambiance outside and the accessibility of amenities. Outside the built-up area: peace and quiet, sense of freedom, the ambiance outside and green/water/space.OTBArchitecture and The Built Environmen

The impact of earthquakes on residential wellbeing

In the Netherlands, the extraction of natural gas from the ground has led to soil subsidence and the occurrence of earthquakes. These earthquakes cause physical damage to buildings and also lead to psychological problems and decreased housing satisfaction. Research on the impact of natural hazards has shown that there is a complicated relationship between perceived risk, place attachment and coping behaviour. The current study provides further insight into this relationship. The research questions are the following:1) What is the relationship between place attachment and risk perception?2) What is the relationship between risk perception and the intention to move?3) Is the relationship between risk perception and intention to move influenced by place attachment?4) What is the role of psychological distress in the interaction between place attachment, risk perception and the intention to move?The results show that, in general, (1) residents with the highest level of attachment show the highest mean risk perception. Furthermore, (2) residents with a higher risk perception more frequently indicate that they intend to move. Moreover (3), there is an interaction between place attachment, perceived risk and the intention to move. Strongly attached residents show a high level of risk perception, but are less willing to move. Finally, (4) this finding cannot be explained by a low level of psychological distress in strongly attached residents as their level of psychological distress is relatively high.Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository 'You share, we take care!' - Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.OLD Support RE

The impact of earthquakes on residential wellbeing

In the Netherlands, the extraction of natural gas from the ground has led to soil subsidence and the occurrence of earthquakes. These earthquakes cause physical damage to buildings and also lead to psychological problems and decreased housing satisfaction. Research on the impact of natural hazards has shown that there is a complicated relationship between perceived risk, place attachment and coping behaviour. The current study provides further insight into this relationship. The research questions are the following:1) What is the relationship between place attachment and risk perception?2) What is the relationship between risk perception and the intention to move?3) Is the relationship between risk perception and intention to move influenced by place attachment?4) What is the role of psychological distress in the interaction between place attachment, risk perception and the intention to move?The results show that, in general, (1) residents with the highest level of attachment show the highest mean risk perception. Furthermore, (2) residents with a higher risk perception more frequently indicate that they intend to move. Moreover (3), there is an interaction between place attachment, perceived risk and the intention to move. Strongly attached residents show a high level of risk perception, but are less willing to move. Finally, (4) this finding cannot be explained by a low level of psychological distress in strongly attached residents as their level of psychological distress is relatively high.Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository 'You share, we take care!' - Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.OLD Support RE

Place attachment, distress, risk perception and coping in a case of earthquakes in the Netherlands

In the Netherlands, the extraction of natural gas from the ground has led to soil subsidence and the occurrence of earthquakes. These earthquakes cause physical damage to buildings and give rise to psychological distress. Research on the impact of natural hazards, such as earthquakes, has shown that there is a complicated relationship between place attachment, perceived risk and coping strategies. The current study, performed in the earthquake area, provides further insight into this relationship, with a focus on place attachment. The study examines whether place attachment is related to (1) the damage intensity of the neighbourhood, (2) socio-demographic characteristics, (3) cognitive and emotional characteristics and (4) coping strategies. The results show that stronger place attachment is related to higher age, lower education and place of origin in the region. Furthermore, respondents with strong place attachment more frequently indicated to be frightened by the multiple earthquakes and to expect damage to their dwelling as a consequence of future earthquakes. Nevertheless, these respondents less frequently intended to relocate than respondents with weaker place attachment. This result indicates that strong place attachment might diminish the chances of moving out despite the awareness of risk and the emotional response to the earthquake hazard.OLD Housing System

Urban, suburban or rural? Understanding preferences for the residential environment

There are two ongoing trends that lead to changing preferences for the built environment. One concerns a demographic transition into more but smaller, and older, households. The other concerns greater possibilities to satisfy residential preferences due to rising incomes and technological advances. The current study explores the preference for the type of residential environment and the underlying motivations. The smaller municipality is most preferred (36%), followed by the city edge (32%), a rural area (13%), the city centre (11%) and no preference (7%). The city centre is preferred because of amenities, ambiance, liveliness and activities. The city edge is preferred because of peace and quiet and easy access to the dwelling. Social contact was rarely mentioned. In contrast, respondents who preferred a smaller municipality frequently mentioned social contact. Furthermore, feeling safe/secure and wellbeing were important items. Finally, respondents with a rural preference mentioned freedom and peace and quiet.Housing System

Beschrijvende en toetsende statistiek

Dit hoofdstuk gaat in op de belangrijkste aandachtspunten bij het uitvoeren van een beschrijvende of toetsende analyse. Onderwerpen die worden besproken zijn onder meer toevalsfluctuaties en hypothesetoetsing.Housing System