Ricerc@Sapienza

Various authors in the psychological field deal with the relationship between environment and wellbeing and particularly the impact of the environmental setting on quality of life (Bonnes, Secchiaroli, 1992; Twigger-Ross, Uzzell, 1996) and the importance of living in suitable environments, fitting needs and expectations (Zani, Cicognani, 2004). Geographically speaking, the significance of landscape is evident, as far as personal and territorial identities are concerned (Castiglioni, 2011).
Nowadays, in traditionally rural extra-urban areas, where people feel attachment and sense of belonging, (Hidalgo, Hernàndez, 2001; Giuliani, 2004), rural depopulation is associated with processes of environmental changes.
Presently, many non places (Augé, 1993) and hyperspace (Jameson, 1989) surround urban areas so that mountain and countryside areas risk to become “new” places of uncertain destiny, if transformation does not respect valuable landscape elements and is not carried out bearing in mind sustainability and social sharing. In these places, people and communities risk not to feel a sense of belonging due to the environmental, historical and cultural setting which becomes less familiar (Mazza, Minozzi, 2011).
This multidisciplinary and multiterritorial research aims to highlight the inhabitants’ bonds not only with their historical and geographical territory (Rombai, 2001) but also with territorial elements, which can affect context and quality of life perception: elements of value, decay and environmental menace. The research was carried out in extra-urban rural areas in Tuscany and Lazio: Lunigiana, Media Valle Serchio, Maremma Grossetana, Maremma Viterbese and Crete Senesi. The authors’ contribution concentrated on territory comparisons for some of the examined variables, while different contributions propose specific focuses on single territories: Piana di Lucca, Area Pisana, Crete Senesi and Alta Tuscia.
A questionnaire was prepared “Territories, landscapes and quality of life” (cf. Ferrari, Bocci, Bianchi, Cavallero, Mazza and Rombai, 2014) to investigate the following aspects related to the inhabitants’ area:
1 – territorial sense of belonging and motivation;
2 – perception, knowledge and evaluation of value, decay and risk elements;
3 – attachment, interest and residential motivation;
4 – social representation of the territory.
The represented sample was made up of 366 subjects, divided in three age groups: young, adult and elderly people.
Descriptive and correlational analysis have been carried out, along with comparisons among groups and explorative factorial analysis, as well as text analysis.
The results highlight differences in the sense of belonging, knowledge perception, territorial elements evaluation, attachment to the place and future residency intentions and motivations, both as regards areas and age group.