The Role of Time in Developing Place Meanings Case Study: Javaherdeh Recreation Area, Ramsar, Iran

Abstract

Person-place models show that there are complex and multidimensional bonds between individuals and places. Since some of researchers believe that familiarity duration with a place is an effective factor for place bonding, there is almost no data to prove this hypothesis, and even it is not clear that how and why does time affect these bonds? In the present study, comments of Javaherdeh recreation area visitors were used in order to prove and describe the role of time in devoting sense of place. Questionnaire was the main tool used in this study. Content validity and Cronbach's alpha methods were used to determine validity and reliability of the questionnaire, respectively. The results showed that there are significant differences between people who had a special place and those who did not have a special place, based on visit characteristics including repeated visits, maintaining the bond, and duration of stay. Moreover, a significant difference was observed between familiarity of visitors and sense of place. In this study, the physical environment was considered important in the case of short-term familiarity with other places, while social relationships, homes, and ceremonies were considered important in the case of a longer-term familiarity. The results showed that a longer-term familiarity with a place converts the basis of physical attachment into social attachment. Furthermore, longer-term familiarity with a place will lead to a higher place attachment. Keywords: Place Attachment, Place Meanings, Time INTRODUCTIONThe studies on places and their senses includes a variety of fields such as philosophy, literature, anthropology, geography, sociology, natural resources and architecture (Casey 1997; Caltbron 1998; Lowe and Altman 1992;Manzo 2005;Relph 1976; Tiger and Azal 1996; William and Stewart, 1998). Although most people agree with that place and time are an important part of human life, but the effect of time on our relationship with place has been ignored. The present study investigated the effect of time on relationship of individuals with place. To this aim, perspectives of researchers such as Relph (1976), Tuan (1977), William Peterson, (1994 were used in the present study, who believe that human is the creator of places. Human lives in the geographical space, once he gives it a personal meaning, he calls it "Place" (Casey 1997). Relph (1976), a human geographer, states that places are centers of actions and intentions which have special places in space and time. People focus on place and distinguish it from the surrounding environment, while it is a part of that environment. For years, concepts of the relationship between human and environment were studied, and the terms of place attachment (Lowe and Altman 1992;Williams et al. 1992), sense of place (Kantril 1998; Hay 1998; Shamay 1991;Stedman 2002; Estelle 1981;Williams and Stewart, 1998), place identity (Proshanski, Fabian and Kaminof 1983), and place dependence (Stokelz, 1981; Schumacher, 1983) have been widely used. Sense of place is a...