Examining the Interplay of Place Attachment, Environmental Perception, and Place Satisfaction: A Case Study of Nobar Neighborhood in Tabriz

The intricate interplay between individuals and their surrounding environment has been a focal point in the realm of environmental psychology for quite some time. Various environmental factors, functional elements and services, as well as the intrinsic identity and social connectivity fostered by a location collectively shape human perceptions and emotions. This phenomenon is particularly noteworthy in historical settings and neighborhoods. Consequently, the present investigation seeks to explore the influence of environmental perception and place attachment on place satisfaction within the historical enclave of Nobar in Tabriz. The research enlisted a sample of 320 randomly selected residents and business proprietors aged 18 and above, who responded to a series of questionnaires including the Place Attachment Scale devised by Lewicka, the Place Satisfaction Scale formulated by Yuksel and colleagues, and the Modified Bounito et al. Scale aimed at gauging various facets of environmental perception. The Cronbach's alpha coefficients for all variables attained satisfactory levels, affirming the tools' construct validity through confirmatory factor analysis. Structural equation modeling was employed to scrutinize the relationships and repercussions of the variables, with the Sobel test utilized to ascertain the significance of mediating influences. The outcomes unveiled a notable direct correlation between place attachment, environmental perception, and place satisfaction. Nonetheless, no significant mediating effects were observed among the variables of place attachment and environmental perception. The findings underscore that human evaluations and perceptions of a locale are intricately tied to cognitive and sensory experiences that engender positive sentiments towards the place. 

In the domain of urban planning and management, there is an evident prevalence of technocratic and dehumanized ideologies that often prioritize physical, technical, and quantitative considerations over qualitative, humanistic, psychological, social, and cultural dimensions (Matlabi, 2006; Zebardast & Baniamerian, 2010). Nonetheless, in the context of environmental assessments, individuals tend to place a higher value on the qualitative aspects of the environment rather than on quantitative and physical parameters (Matllebi, 2006; Zebardast & Baniamerian, 2010). The satisfaction of residents within a neighborhood is intricately linked to the neighborhood's capacity to address the physical and social requirements of its inhabitants (Ciorici & Dantzler, 2019; Özkan et al., 2019) alongside their assessments of the qualitative and psychological attributes of the neighborhood (Fernández-Portero et al., 2017; Jeong & Kim, 2020).
The level of satisfaction with a particular place is influenced by the emotional connections and psychological perceptions that individuals harbor towards that locale. Various factors such as place attachment, sense of place, social bonds, and place identity contribute to the formation of what is known as place attachment (Aliakbarzadeh Arani et al., 2021; Lee & Jeong, 2021; Hadafi & Sarrafi Nik, 2022; Arbab et al., 2015; Azizi & Arbab, 2010). Place attachment denotes a personal sentiment towards a specific location or community (Lewicka, 2010; Yuksel et al., 2010; Dang & Weiss, 2021; Aleshinloye et al., 2020) and evolves from individuals' accumulated interactions within the physical and social milieus of an environment (Von Wirth et al., 2016). Notably, place attachment can be categorized into two dimensions: social and physical attachment (Hidalgo & Hernandez, 2001; Hernandez et al., 2020; Lin et al., 2021; Scannell & Gifford, 2014).
It is plausible to argue that the three variables of place attachment, environmental perception, and place satisfaction play pivotal structural roles, both directly and indirectly, in shaping the experiences, emotions, behaviors, and attitudes of citizens towards diverse locales. These interrelations can be comprehended through the scrutiny and analysis of data gleaned from fieldwork and the lived experiences of individuals. Consequently, an earnest endeavor has been made to amass and elucidate the requisite empirical insights regarding the correlations among these variables within a historic precinct of Tabriz city, utilizing a theoretical framework extrapolated from academic literature and employing field survey methodologies.

1) What is the relationship between place attachment and environmental perception?
2) To what extent does place attachment serve as a significant predictor of satisfaction with a place?
3) To what extent does environmental perception act as a significant predictor of satisfaction with a place?
4) Does the environmental perception variable act as a mediator in the association between place attachment and satisfaction with a place?
5) Does the place attachment variable act as a mediator in the association between environmental perception and satisfaction with a place?

The current research employed a survey methodology and applied a structural equation modeling (SEM) approach to analyze the data (Little et al., 2022; Schumacker, 2022). The study population encompassed all individuals, aged 18 years and above, residing or operating businesses within the Novbar neighborhood of Tabriz. Both residents and business proprietors were included in the sample selection process. The rationale behind incorporating business owners alongside residents stemmed from the significant involvement of many neighborhood business proprietors in commercial activities within the area for an extended duration, hence, they could be regarded as integral to the neighborhood's demographics. Despite their diverse residential locales, a substantial portion of their daily routines unfolds within this neighborhood, wherein the location of their businesses intricately molds their social interactions and networks.
While an absolute consensus on the sample size in structural modeling-based methodologies remains elusive, various scholars advocate for a minimum sample size of 200 (Kline, 2023). To ensure a robust statistical representation of the neighborhood, 350 individuals were chosen as the sample from the overall population. Due to certain questionnaire anomalies and incomplete responses, data from 320 respondents were ultimately utilized for analysis.
The survey questions were meticulously formulated with reference to fundamental sources such as the Place Attachment Scale by Lewicka, the Place Satisfaction Scale by Yuksel and colleagues, and the Modified Bounito et al. Scale, to assess distinct facets of environmental perception. The Cronbach's alpha coefficients for all variables demonstrated satisfactory levels of internal consistency, while confirmatory factor analysis affirmed the construct validity of the research instruments. Structural equation modeling was deployed to scrutinize the relationships and effects of the variables, with the Sobel Test utilized to gauge the significance of mediating influences. The results revealed a notable direct correlation between place attachment, environmental perception, and place satisfaction. Nevertheless, none of the variables pertaining to place attachment and environmental perception exhibited a statistically significant mediating effect. The outcomes imply that human assessments and perceptions of a place are intertwined with cognitive and sensory experiences that cultivate positive sentiments towards the locale.

 The findings of the study underscore a substantial correlation between place attachment and environmental perception, corroborating the research outcomes of Daneshpour et al. (2009), Arbab et al. (2015), and Azizi & Arbab (2010). These scholarly works have posited that components such as the sense of place, social ties, and place identity wield significant influence in shaping environmental perception. Positive sentiments and appraisals towards locations appear to harmonize with personal experiences and the historical affiliations of individuals with said locales (Hosseini & Saberi, 2022; Zangeneh et al., 2018). Factors like human attachment to places (Lewicka, 2008; Peng et al., 2022; Farhad et al., 2021) also emerge as pivotal determinants in this context.
The reciprocal and mutually reinforcing rapport between environmental perception and place attachment implies that each facet has the potential to fortify the other, either directly or indirectly. This dynamic intimates that the level of contentment and convenience individuals derive from a place, alongside their access to its amenities, constitute significant dimensions of environmental quality and are intertwined with their attachment to these environs (Zamanzadeh Darban, 2017; Abbaszadeh et al., 2016).
This nexus assumes heightened significance within the historic precinct of Novbar, given that historical sites often encapsulate profound historical and cultural worth. These connotations can evoke a profound sense of place among individuals. Additionally, historic locales typically evoke favorable sentiments and opinions owing to the architectural splendor, natural panoramas, open expanses, or the serenity and constancy that these sites impart to individuals.
Furthermore, with none of the variables related to place attachment and environmental perception demonstrating a notable mediating effect on the establishment of a link with satisfaction regarding the place, it can be posited that these variables exert a direct influence on place satisfaction. Each of these variables independently and decisively contributes to elucidating fluctuations in the satisfaction with the place construct.