Date of Award

1993

Document Type

Thesis

Publisher

Edith Cowan University

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts Honours

Faculty

Faculty of Health and Human Sciences

First Supervisor

Dr Moira O'Connor

Second Supervisor

Dr Adelma Hills

Abstract

Previous approaches to the study of motivation within the domain of place were found to be disparate, and in need of a firm theoretical framework and appropriate methodology. With the exception of Korpela's (1989) model of place identity, the issues of motivation and operationalization of other theoretical perspectives, (e.g., Proshansky, Fabian, and Kaminoff; 1983) have led to a sparse research base in the area of place. Recent developments in attitude theory ( Herek, 1986; 1987; Zanna & Rempel, 1988) and attitude model development (Hills, 1991) were then applied to the place domain A tripartite model of the motivational bases of attitudes (based on Herek's, 1986, neofunctional model) incorporating an identification base, (Hills, 1991) was then applied to Perth resident's attitudes to living north and south of the Swan River (the city's main arterial waterway). A qualitative pilot study using responses from 18 interviews of a convenience sample of Perth residents, and 79 undergraduate students, indicated that four main themes focusing on social, instrumental, affective, and aesthetic motives, were important within the domain of place. A quantitative instrument was then developed, and 112 members of the urban public were randomly surveyed, and their responses assessed using the tripartite model. Results supported the expectation of significantly different motivational profiles for strong, moderate, and slight preference groups; on instrumental, expressive, (social) identification, (affective) and aesthetic motivational bases. Moreover, results suggested that the instrumental, expressive, and identification motivational bases were uniquely related to preference, using stepdown analysis. The unique significance of aesthetic motives was not supported. However a weak but significant correlation between strength of preference and length of residence was found, r(97)=.25, p.05, was not significant Resul1s were discussed in tem1s of the usefulness of the tripartite model for further research within the domain of place.

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