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Clarifying Community Concepts: A Review of Community Attachment, Community Satisfaction, and Quality of Life

Author

Listed:
  • Elizabeth Long-Meek

    (Sociology Department, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA)

  • Greta L. Asay

    (Sociology Department, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA)

  • Michael R. Cope

    (Sociology Department, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA)

Abstract

In the community research literature, the concepts of community attachment, community satisfaction, and quality of life are widely used but often lack clear and consistent definitions. Despite a substantial body of work across multiple disciplines, scholars frequently struggle to distinguish these terms, resulting in fragmented and sometimes contradictory discourse. This paper reviews and synthesizes existing literature on each concept, highlighting various interpretations, common definitions, and measurement strategies. Rather than aiming to resolve these conceptual inconsistencies, this review aims to serve as a conceptual resource for community researchers seeking to better navigate and apply these three widely used but often inconsistently defined terms. It contributes to both theory and practice by clarifying distinctions and overlaps, guiding future operationalization, and encouraging theoretical precision in community-based research across disciplines. By drawing on a broad interdisciplinary range of sources, this review provides a resource for scholars navigating this complex theoretical landscape and aims to support a more coherent and informed dialogue around these key community-based concepts.

Suggested Citation

  • Elizabeth Long-Meek & Greta L. Asay & Michael R. Cope, 2025. "Clarifying Community Concepts: A Review of Community Attachment, Community Satisfaction, and Quality of Life," Societies, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-20, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsoctx:v:15:y:2025:i:8:p:216-:d:1719633
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nancy Landale & Avery Guest, 1985. "Constraints, Satisfaction and Residential Mobility: Speare’s Model Reconsidered," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 22(2), pages 199-222, May.
    2. Craig John & Frieda Clark, 1984. "Racial differences in dimensions of neighborhood satisfaction," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 15(1), pages 43-60, July.
    3. M. Sirgy & Terri Cornwell, 2001. "Further Validation of the Sirgy et al.'s Measure of Community Quality of Life," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 56(2), pages 125-143, November.
    4. Paul Bramston & Grace Pretty & Heather Chipuer, 2002. "Unravelling Subjective Quality of Life: An Investigation of Individual and Community Determinants," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 59(3), pages 261-274, September.
    5. Zachary Neal, 2021. "Does the neighbourhood matter for neighbourhood satisfaction? A meta-analysis," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 58(9), pages 1775-1791, July.
    6. Gasper, Des, 2010. "Understanding the diversity of conceptions of well-being and quality of life," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 39(3), pages 351-360, June.
    7. Yu‐Hui Kao & Stephen G. Sapp, 2020. "Is Community Attachment a Determinant of Actual Migration? An Estimate of the Social Capital, Linear‐Development, and Systemic Approaches," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 101(1), pages 201-217, January.
    8. Charles Connerly & Robert Marans, 1985. "Comparing two global measures of perceived neighborhood quality," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 17(1), pages 29-47, July.
    9. Winters, John V., 2011. "Human capital, higher education institutions, and quality of life," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 41(5), pages 446-454, September.
    10. Matthew L. McKnight & Benjamin G. Gibbs & Scott R. Sanders & Michael R. Cope & Jorden E. Jackson & Paige N. Park, 2019. "Small towns and urban centers: The relationship of distance and population size to community satisfaction," Community Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(4), pages 389-405, August.
    11. repec:plo:pone00:0204044 is not listed on IDEAS
    12. Ira Wasserman, 1982. "Size of place in relation to community attachment and satisfaction with community services," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 11(4), pages 421-436, November.
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    14. Marc Bolan, 1997. "The mobility experience and neighborhood attachment," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 34(2), pages 225-237, May.
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