Definition
Neighborhood coherence is the degree to which individuals within a community view their neighborhood and the people within the neighborhood as a unified entity. Similar to social cohesion, neighborhood coherence contributes to a sense of belonging and attachment to the community among residents. A high degree of neighborhood coherence is thought to positively contribute to the health and well-being of residents including older adults.
Overview
Physical aspects of the neighborhood may influence a community’s sense of neighborhood coherence. For example, neighborhoods with well-defined physical boundaries, similar aesthetics, community centers, and common spaces may engender a sense of belonging and strong neighborhood identity among residents (Brown and Lombard 2014; Hein et al. 2010; Kweon et al. 1998). The composition of the neighborhood is also thought...
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Latham-Mintus, K., Chavan, S. (2020). Neighborhood Coherence. In: Gu, D., Dupre, M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Gerontology and Population Aging. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-69892-2_502-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-69892-2_502-1
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