Members of our rural village have been forming sense of community through social interaction based on same region for life. Recently such traditional sense of community of rural village is facing many problems. The sense of community shows different a...
Members of our rural village have been forming sense of community through social interaction based on same region for life. Recently such traditional sense of community of rural village is facing many problems. The sense of community shows different appearance as agricultural activity is decreasing because of reduction of population based on agriculture, at the same time, migrated population has issues. Accordingly, now is the time to study about measures for cultivation and improvement of sense of community for maintaining and continuing rural village by investigating status of sense of community for present rural village residents.
This set the assumption, “characteristics of residents, social exchange, and physical environment affect sense of community.” To test the assumption, this study tried to explore sense of community and formation factor of sense of community which can be basic material for development of rural village and residents. Accordingly, formation factor of sense of community considering regional peculiarity of rural village was selected, limitation on existing various domestic and foreign sense of community index was supplemented. As a result, systematic and integrated index was drawn.
Based on this, the study analyzed formation factor of sense of community for rural village residents by analyzing relationship and influence between formation factor of sense of community for rural village residents and sense of community. Also, this study secured basic material about sense of community that can lead participation of residents by analyzing relationship and influence between voluntary participation of rural village residents and sense of community which are necessary for development of rural village and to solve various problems. By utilizing above results, objective standard was arranged so that study about sense of community for rural village residents can be used as tool of space plan. The study results are as follows.
First, through investigation of domestic and foreign related previous study, formation factor of sense of community, sense of community index, items measuring participation of residents were drawn. Characteristic factor of residents, social exchange factor, and physical environmental factor were selected as variable of formation factor of sense of community - characteristic factor of residents include gender, age of respondent, etc.; social exchange factor includes recognition degree and social exchange level of residents, etc.; physical environmental factor includes recognition degree about community facilities and use frequency of village community center, etc. - Also, after integrating existing sense of community index and through test stage by expert's questionnaire survey, finally, totally 15 indexes were drawn. Furthermore, participation of residents was divided to participation degree and willingness to participation. Since then, 10 measurement items in total were drawn.
Second, in the analysis of influence between formation factor of sense of community for rural village residents and sense of community, for characteristic factor of residents among formation factor of sense of community, whether got married or not, period of stay, job, and family composition explained 12.6% of sense of community. For social exchange factor, satisfaction for resident's social exchange, degree of harmony between residents, lack of problem in village administration and service, residents' recognition degree, and number of family associated explained 34.4% of sense of community. For physical environmental factor, recognition degree about community facilities, satisfaction for infrastructure, use frequency of village community center, satisfaction for housing facilities, satisfaction for village community center, distance from the seat of a myŏn office, satisfaction for public facility, and size of village community center explained 33.4% of sense of community. On the whole, as formation factor affecting sense of community of rural village residents, totally 13 independent variables such as satisfaction for resident's social exchange, recognition degree about community facilities, degree of harmony between residents, satisfaction for infrastructure, and whether got married or not explained 44.0% of sense of community in rural village.
Third, for analysis of influence between sense of community and participation of residents, sense of community was divided to attribution, exchange aspect, and attachment. The influences between attribution and participation degree, exchange aspect and participation degree, participation degree and willingness to participation, attribution and willingness to participation were statistically significant. As a result of final assessment of suitability to path diagram, suitability of path diagram was secured.
Based on above results, assumption of this study was tested as follows. “characteristic factor of residents gives significant influences on sense of community, social exchange factor gives significant influences on sense of community, physical environmental factor gives significant influences on sense of community, sense of community gives significant influences on participation of residents.”
Above results are available for application as follows. First, this study can provide basic material for further study on sense of community for rural village residents by using various formation factors of sense of community considering regional and spacial characteristics of rural village. Second, it is thought that as sense of community index developed in this study is systematic, integrating, and simple, the index can be used in any rural village. Third, social exchange factor and physical environmental factors among formation factors of sense of community drawn in this study can be considered in establishing plan for cultivation and improvement of sense of community. Fourth, process of survey on sense of community and participation of residents, and measures for cultivation and improvement of sense of community can be used in establishing rural village plan(shaping village, etc.).
The study results have meaning of providing basic material in understanding sense of community for rural village residents but it may have limitation as means to directly plan and design space. Accordingly, if the limitations can be supplemented through further study, the study results can be used basic material to improve sense of community for rural village residents.