Neighbouring behaviour, ethnic relations and informal control: a multigroup analysis

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the validity of community organisation as part of the systemic model. Based on the systemic model of community crime, it is perceived that community networks are negatively correlated with victimisation. The authors consider an alternative interpretation, suggesting that these conceptual relationships can run opposite to the directions shown in the systemic model. The crime rate itself may change residents’ perception of neighbouring behaviour and informal control. Design/methodology/approach – This hypothesis is tested using a multigroup analysis of the community organisation across a sample of victims and non-victims in a Malaysian neighbourhood. Findings – The authors find that property crime affects ethnic relations among the residents, where the non-victims perceived higher levels of ethnic relationships compared with the victims. The results show that configural and metric invariance are fully supported, while scalar and structural invariance were partially supported, suggesting that the items measured may be robust across cultures and that the factor loadings appeared to be equivalent across victims and non-victims. Non-victims perceived significantly higher informal control and closer ethnic relations than victims. Originality/value – The paper provides a new direction of the systemic model, whereby victimisation could affect residents’ size of friendship networks and perception informal control.

Surveillance and Guardianship Attitudes: Role of Multiple Mediators

“…Similarly, Steenbeek and Hipp (2011) found that high ethnic heterogeneity leads to increased disorder and decreased cohesion, which in turn affect the potential for social control. Likewise, empirical research in a Malaysian context found that residents from different cultures perceive social environment differently, given that perceived neighbouring behaviour, territorial attitudes and perceived risk vary across cultures (Hedayati et al, 2015). As the study was conducted in a homogenous neighbourhood, future research may bring new insights to the body of knowledge by focusing on homogenous and heterogeneous neighbourhoods.…”

“…Items were adapted based on the work of Greenberg et al (1982). Social cohesion items were adapted from the work of Hedayati et al (2015), Reynald (2011), andSampson et al (1997) on a seven-pint Likert scale (1=strongly disagree, 7=strongly agree). Items of perceived risk were adapted from Abdullah et al (2016), Franklin et al (2008) and Mason et al (2013) on a five-point Likert scale (1=very safe, 5=very unsafe).…”

“…The second limitation refers to the ethnic composition of the study context. Ethnic composition contributes to the ability of a community to control the neighbourhood environment (Sampson & Groves, 1989), and variations in ethnic heterogeneity will increase disorderly conduct by weakening informal control (Hedayati et al, 2015). Similarly, Steenbeek and Hipp (2011) found that high ethnic heterogeneity leads to increased disorder and decreased cohesion, which in turn affect the potential for social control.…”

Developing board games to teach literary elements in ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’

“…The purpose of this board game is to teach learners to become world citizens who can become engaged with an increasingly global world (Hedayati et. al.…”

The Discursive Construction of Modern Masculine Identities in Contemporary Malaysia

“…The Malays are presumed the privileged race because their bumiputera (sons of the soil) status is protected by the constitution (Alatas, 2013). The race dominates under Malay hegemony causing gaps and segregations in Malaysia (Hedayati, Abdullah & Maghsoodi Tilaki, 2015). As a consequence of power and privilege, this ethnic group is perceived as lazy, incompetent, and complacent (Norraesah Mohammad, 2005;Mahathir, 1970) which might affect how masculinity is institutionalised among men of this racial group.…”