Place Identity, Participation, and Emotional Climate in a Rural Community From the Northern Coast of Peru

Abstract

Currently, in rural communities from the Peruvian northern coast, it is common to find a climate of distrust and pessimism that accompanies the lack of coordinated social action and community participation among residents. This study analyzes the relationships that people develop with regard to the place where they live in, how it associates to the ways they participate in their community and the relationship that these two variables have with the perceived emotional climate, in a rural community from the northern coast of Peru (n = 81). Results indicate that place identity is significantly associated with a high community participation and a climate of trust in the community. Finally, a Path Analysis is performed to analyze comprehensively the relationship between these variables. The results suggest that place identity does have an influence on perceived positive climate in the community, being mediated by the dimensions of community participation.

Keywords:

• community participation
• emotional climate
• Peru
• place identity

Notes

City and Subjetivity Research Program City, “I love my neighborhood [Quiero a Mi Barrio],” University of Barcelona and University of Valparaíso.

This factor was adapted from the original fear dimension, since the author originally relates this emotional climate to human rights violation and sociopolitical violence. In this case, items were developed to evaluate fear to crime.