New Urbanism

1
New Urbanism Social Capital
Robert Sarmiento PA 705
2
Presentation

• Definiton of sprawl, New Urbanism, and Social
  Capital
• Research method
• Research Question
• Hypothesis
• Research Design
• Details of Study
• Data Collection
• Limitations of Study
• Analysis and Conclusion

3
Sprawl

• Increase in population growth and new
  technological advances have led to sprawl.
• Sprawl has been attributed to a number of
  detrimental effects.

4
New Urbanism

• Variety of uses close together in proximity
• Houses
• Multi-family units
• Town center
• Mixed-use buildings
• Emphasis on the pedestrian environment
• Tree-lined narrow streets
• Garage in the rear of the home
• Unique network of streets to disperse traffic

5
New Urbanism
6
Social Capital

• Social network among individuals
• Sense of trust and reciprocity among individuals
  and groups
• High social capital results in strong social
  bonds and great sense of community

7
Research Question Hypothesis

• Do the principles of New Urbanism regarding
  physical design result in greater social capital
  for residents of New Urbanist communities?
• My hypothesis is that the principles of New
  Urbanism do result in greater social capital for
  residents of New Urbanist communities.

8
Research Design

• Quasi-experimental study
• Comparison group pretest/posttest design
• Subjects not randomly assigned
• Selected because of similar characteristics
• Main difference is community subjects lives in

9
Details of Study

• Target Population Individuals living in
  suburban communities
• Sampling Frame Individuals living in the New
  Urbanist community in Hercules and individuals
  living in comparable typical suburban community
• Sample Size 200 individuals total
• Unit of Analysis Individuals
• Variables
• Independent Variable Living in a New Urbanist
  community
• Dependent Variable Greater social network with
  neighbors and strangers greater sense of
  community

10
Survey

• Mail survey
• Systematic Sampling Design
• 100 people to be mailed surveyd in New Urbanist
  community (Hercules), and 100 people to be mailed
  surveys in typical suburban community (to be
  determined)
• Survey will contain statements with respondents
  rating statements from 1-5 (ordinal measurement)
• Interaction with neighbors
• Interaction with strangers
• Sense of community

11
Limitations of Study

• Only receive standardized responses to survey
• Cannot receive a explanation for response
• Ordinal measurement limits the degree of accuracy
  in response
• Slow response time
• Threats to internal and external validity
• Contamination
• Maturation
• Selection
• Location

12
Proposed Analysis Conclusion

• Analyze data from both communities to determine
  if residents of New Urbanist community have
  greater social capital
• Findings will help in determining if cities
  should adopt New Urbanist principles to build
  social networks and sense of community