Urbanism and social capital: using the built environment to bridge local space and drive social cohesion

Joseph Cabrera and Jonathan Najarian, "How the Built Environment Shapes Spatial Bridging Ties and Social Capital," Environment and Behavior 47 (2015): 3

The take-away: Regarding a New Urbanism Subdivision in Tucson, Arizona, this study finds a positive relationship between residents’ use of neighborhood design features and spatial bridging ties. The authors suggest that spatial bridging ties—defined as “ties that connect individual from difference social or geographical spheres” within a neighborhood—are important for the creation of neighborhood-level social capital.

Abstract

The study examined spatial bridging ties that develop between members of a subdivision, and the relationship of such ties to different aspects of the built environment. We suggest that spatial bridging ties are important to the development of social capital within a community, as they help to overcome a tendency for ties to be spatially proximate (the propinquity effect). Using ego- based network data, we examined the formation of spatial bridging ties within a new urbanist subdivision (NUS) and also identified specific design features of the NUS that were associated with such ties. We found an association between spatial bridging ties and the use of mixed-use amenities, suggesting that mixed-use amenities (e.g., local shops and restaurants) may be facilitating spatial bridging ties between residents in NUS communities. The results also provide some evidence of a positive relationship between spatial bridging ties and social capital.

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