The Cumulative Risk Model to encompass perceived urban safety and well-being

The Cumulative Risk Model (CRM) has usually been applied to developmental and quality of life psychology; however, the CRM could also be applied to the urban safety and personal well-being of people living in urban environments, since cities are complex, multi-risk scenarios. This paper presents two studies meant to provide evidence in support of this hypothesis. The first study (N=287) was aimed to create and validate a set of scales to measure the cumulative risk index and to pilot study two. Study two (N = 540), instead, aimed at showing how a higher number of risk factors is associated to a higher level of perception of insecurity/fear of crime and a smaller level of wellbeing/satisfaction with life and provided consistent correlational evidence, controlling for the neighborhood effect. These studies showed that the CRM can be used to study urban safety issues, since perception of personal safety, fear of crime and well-being are multidimensional constructs, and are affected by a large series of environmental and psychosocial risk factors. The CRM could have significant applications for policymaking and urban renovatio

Evacuation intention on the Southern Chilean coast: a psychological and spatial study approach

Evacuation from tsunami hazards is a complex problem that requires a transdisciplinary approach, i.e., several topics must be interrelated (including the perspective of the population) to better understand the evacuation process. One of these involves the psychological response of people to the configuration and location of evacuation sites. This paper contributes to exploring the evacuation phenomenon by using social and spatial sciences, in order to test how psychological and spatial indicators influence intention to evacuate to designated sites in Puerto Saavedra, Chile. The methodology involved the assessment of photographs representing different tsunami evacuation scenarios for Puerto Saavedra: the current scenario, with evacuation sites in built areas and in natural environments without emergency facilities; and the hypothetical scenario, in the same sites but with emergency facilities in the natural sites. Photographs were evaluated using three psychological indicators and a Likert scale in a questionnaire. A multiple regression analysis was then performed using ten spatial indicators to explore the most significant spatial variables that explain perception in each scenario. Finally, a multi-criteria evaluation technique was used to model optimal evacuation site locations by integrating data from the questionnaire and the multiple regression analysis. Results show that perceived safety, place attachment and restorativeness vary between scenarios. Natural evacuation sites with facilities from the hypothetical scenario, located at higher elevations and far from the coastline, evacuation routes and emergency infrastructure received higher evaluation values for the psychological indicators. The discussion delves into the challenge of using these outcomes for resilient planning in Puerto Saavedra, and for improving evacuation research with knowledge about perception and real evacuation behavior of different community groups, as well as through studies considering the amount, location and qualities of evacuation routes and sites. This will deepen our understanding of evacuation processes and models in different contexts

Psicologia sociale e ambientale per la resilienza umana nelle emergenze ambientali / Social and environmental psychology for human resilience during environmental emergencies

Non previst

The Role of Place Attachment in Promoting Refugees’ Well-Being and Resettlement: A Literature Review

Refugees are at great risk of developing mental health problems. Yet, little is known about how to optimally help this vulnerable group as there is a lack of evaluated refugee mental health interventions. The current article presents the results of a literature review which investigates the importance of place attachment for the promotion of refugees’ well-being in the resettlement process. This review concentrated on the most recent and current literature regarding the potential role, importance, and relevance of people–place bonds in the dynamic process of refugee resettlement. It examines literature from the field of positive and environmental psychology, highlighting key theoretical concepts and research findings as well as gaps in research. The review revealed that little is known about the dynamics of place bonding, while the debate rages on about the geometry of the psychological constructs of person–place relationships. Yet, knowing more about which needs should be satisfied for easing place bonding could be of crucial importance for facilitating refugee well-being. Ultimately, improving the knowledge and understanding of the phases of this dynamic process could be useful for a more successful implementation of refugee resettlement practices and activities

Remote working and E-learning spatial setting impacts on well-being

Research or practical problem and objectives The Covid-19 pandemic period has been characterized by massive uses of online modes for both workers and students worldwide. Regarding Italy, it was estimated that over 6.6 million Italian active workers remotely worked at March 2020 (i.e., 41% of the active national workforce). Approximately 94% of students of all levels carried out their activity remotely in the same period. This contribution aims to analyze how and which characteristics of the physical-spatial setting characterizing the remote work/study activity may have impacted individuals' psychological well-being. Methods and process (for empirical research) To test such hypotheses, in Study 1 participants (N = 490 students from various Italian universities engaged in distance learning activities) were asked to fill in an online questionnaire divided into two sections: a scale for the psychological perception of the environmental qualiteis and scales for perceived stress. Through an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) conducted a 5-factor composition emerged on the scale of psychological perception of the physical-spatial elements: safety, visual well-being, acoustic well- being, usability and control, aesthetics. In Study 2, participants (N = 551 italian workers engaged in remote working) filled out a questionnaire divided into four parts: the scale for psychological perception of the environmental qualities, environmental satisfaction, job satisfaction in remote working and finally stress and engagement scales. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) confirmed the 5 factors that emerged in study 1. Main results preview and importance (or main arguments in the case of critical reviews) The preliminary results for study 2, show how the relationship between psychological perception of spatial qualities, stress and engagement is sequentially mediated by environmental satisfaction and job satisfaction. The study represents one of the first approaches to systematically analyze the importance of the perception of environmental qualities with regard to the setting where the remote work/study activity is carried out

The Physical Environment in Remote Working: Development and Validation of Perceived Remote Workplace Environment Quality Indicators (PRWEQIs)

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, more and more organizations have implemented remote working, resulting in a partial overlap between home and work environments. This study aimed to develop a tool named Perceived Remote Workplace Environment Quality Indicators (PRWEQIs) to study the impact of the remote work environment on worker well-being. A preliminary 20-item version was developed. In Study 1, an Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was conducted on a sample of remote students (N = 521); the results were confirmed in Study 2 through a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) on a sample of remote workers (N = 463). The final 15-item PRWEQIs include five indicators, Acoustic comfort, Visual comfort, Quality of the furnishings, Safety, and Space usability, and a second-order factor referring to General perceived comfort. The scale constitutes an initial instrument for assessing the perception of the physical-spatial qualities of the remote working environment

The Physical Environment in Remote Working: Development and Validation of Perceived Remote Workplace Environment Quality Indicators (PRWEQIs)

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, more and more organizations have implemented remote working, resulting in a partial overlap between home and work environments. This study aimed to develop a tool named Perceived Remote Workplace Environment Quality Indicators (PRWEQIs) to study the impact of the remote work environment on worker well-being. A preliminary 20-item version was developed. In Study 1, an Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was conducted on a sample of remote students (N = 521); the results were confirmed in Study 2 through a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) on a sample of remote workers (N = 463). The final 15-item PRWEQIs include five indicators, Acoustic comfort, Visual comfort, Quality of the furnishings, Safety, and Space usability, and a second-order factor referring to General perceived comfort. The scale constitutes an initial instrument for assessing the perception of the physical-spatial qualities of the remote working environment

Perceived Residential Environment Quality Indicators (PREQIs) relevance for UN-HABITAT City Prosperity Index (CPI)

This paper presents some relevant tools for UN-HABITAT CPI, addressing the relationship between residential neighbourhood assessment, neighbourhood attachment and overall residential satisfaction of residents in the Iranian the city of Tabriz. The first aim of the study is to validate some cross-cultural tools e focusing on the Quality of Life (QOL) spoke of the CPI's wheel of urban prosperity e for use in an urban residential context (Fornara et al., 2010); specifically an abbreviated version of the Perceived Residential Environment Quality Indicators (PREQIs) and the Neighbourhood Attachment Scale (NAS), as well as items for measurement of Residential Satisfaction (RS). The instruments consist of 11 scales measuring PREQIs, one scale measuring Neighbourhood Attachment and three items about RS. The second aim is to test a model of the links among the constructs measured by these tools that deal with different features of QOL. For example, if some global PREQIs (i.e., pace of life) mediate the relationship between other, more specific PREQIs and Neighbourhood Attachment; and then if they ultimately predict RS, they may be considered as final outcome criteria. PREQIs, NAS and RS items are included in a selfreport questionnaire, (translated from English into Farsi language) and then administered to 239 residents of Tabriz, Iran. Multivariate statistical analyses of the survey results extends the cross-cultural validity of the tools, as well as testing relationship models going from specific to global PREQIs, to NAS, finally predicting RS. The discussion argues for the relevance of PREQIs, NAS and RS constructs and tools in deepening the knowledge on the QOL spoke within the UN-HABITAT CP

City Reputation Indicators (CRIs): measuring inhabitants’ city representation / Indicadores de Reputación Urbana: midiendo la representación de una ciudad en sus habitantes

Reputation is a socially mediated form of knowledge. In social psychology it has been studied with reference to different social actors (individuals, brands, cities, etc). However, the social-psychological conceptualization of city reputation lacks a consensual definition. This research aims to operationally define city reputation, via the construction and validation of the City Reputation Indicators (CRIs). The first and preliminary study (N = 62) defines the underlying dimensions via six focus groups held in two Italian cities that differ in terms of their political/administrative and socio-demographic features. The second study (N = 362) tests the properties of CRIs via a survey administered in Rome. Results show a first validation of the 12 CRIs’ scales, which represent a basic tool for the assessment of people’s perception of a city. Theoretical and applied implications are discussed, as well as development perspectives for improvement