THE EFFECT OF DIMENSIONS IN SENSE OF PLACE ON CONSERVATION BEHAVIOR IN URBAN HERITAGE AREA

• Main Author: Dameria, Christin
• Format: Dissertations
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/62133
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

A sense of place is defined as a positive connection concept between people and places where they live or carry out activities. It has been considered important in urban heritage conservation studies. However, the concept of sense of place is understood more unidimensionally and tends to be place-making oriented only. Studies of the multidimensional sense of place effect on conservation behavior of the actors, namely individual owners of old buildings and visitors in urban heritage areas, are still limited. Generally, existing studies note that all dimensions of sense of place have the potential as important antecedents for conservation behavior (an intention to act in supporting urban heritage conservation). Nevertheless, the relationship of sense of place as a three-dimensional attitude concept, namely place identity (cognitive), place attachment (affective), and place dependence (conative), with conservation behavior has not been widely understood. This understanding is mostly concentrated in the literature of natural areas context and argues that place attachment is the sense of place dimension that has the strongest influence on conservation behavior. The limitations of studies in the urban heritage context led to unclear understanding of the actors' sense of place dimensions effect on conservation behavior. In fact, the understanding is needed because the actors’ conservation behavior is one of the key attributes to sustainable urban heritage conservation. Answering the gap, this study investigates the effect of each dimension of sense of place (independent variable), namely place identity, place attachment, and place dependence on each dimension of conservation behavior (dependent variable) in urban heritage area. Conservation behavior is the multidimensional response that comprises general behaviors (daily regular behavior) and specific behaviors (behavior that requires specific efforts). Kawasan Kota Lama Semarang (KKLS) or Semarang Old Town, a well-known historic tourism area in Semarang, was chosen as the study location. Actors who were selected to be the research respondents are individual owners of old buildings and visitors who fit the study’s parameters. This research uses pragmatism paradigm and mix-methods research (sequential eksplanatory) which has two phases. The first phase (quantitative method) used a research instrument in the form of a closed questionnaire with Likert-type items format. A building owner receives and fills out a written questionnaire directly, while visitors answer out onlineiv questionnaire. Data analysis used descriptive statistical techniques. The strength of one’s sense of place and conservation behavior dimensions were measured by the median value and the proportion of the attribute’s distribution. The strength of the sense of place dimensions effects on the conservation behavior dimensions was measured based on the strong correlation between dimensions variabels, using the Somers’d method. The second phase (qualitative method) aims to confirm the quantitative analysis results. The result was used as the basis for semi-structured interviews with selected informants who interact and have knowledge about the actors in the study site. In the process of analysis, qualitative data is reduced and categorized. The results of the first and the second phase are then presented in a narrative-descriptive approach. The study has found that: (1) the actors have all three dimensions of sense of place because of the distinctivenes history (intangible heritage) and old buildings (tangible heritage) owned by the area. However, the character of the actors’ sense of place is different. Old building owner has place identity as the strongest dimension. The meaning given is still focused on the old buildings owned. For visitors, place attachment is the strongest dimension. Visitor is attracted to the built environment physical quality, but still consider heritage as a secondary object; (2) the actors have both dimensions of conservation behavior, but tend to be more likely to engage in general behavior, rather than specific behavior; (3) social familiarity that supports the building owner’s place identity has a strong correlation with communal conservation behavior (correlation value +0.6). Unlike previous studies with the same context, only the place identity of the building owner has the potential to be an important antecedent for spesific conservation behavior. These differences have the potential to occur due to the different contextual factors, namely the profile of settings and individual actors. In this study, environmental problems, material-based conservation approaches that cause conflicts, building owners who are influenced by urban culture, and passive activities of visitors weaken the effect of each sense of place dimension on every dimension of conservation behavior. Thus, the results of this study prove that sense of place should be seen as more than just the place-making concept. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the multidimensional sense of place concept by integrating the place identity of the old building owner in the substance of urban heritage conservation. To increase the effect of sense of place dimension on conservation behavior, the practice of urban heritage conservation requires policies that place local residents at the core of conservation by involving old building owners and strengthening the role of local communities.