Perceptions of Disorder, Individual Experiences and Place Characteristics

• In Event: Crime and Place: Examining the Formation and Impact of Disorder Perceptions

Abstract

Recently, scholars have argued that individuals’ perceptions of disorder, rather than observed levels of disorder, have a stronger impact on individual’s fear of crime and other social attitudes. The mechanisms behind disorder perception are complex. Past studies pointed out that individuals’ perceptions of disorder are influenced by many social factors, including neighborhood characteristics such as the racial composition and SES of an area. Moreover, it is reasonable to believe that individuals’ residential environments (be it rural or urban) and past experiences of victimization jointly form their knowledge base and, in turn, affect how they interpret social and physical cues present in the environment. The current study uses data collected from a laboratory experiment to explore associations among individuals’ past experiences, place characteristics and perceptions of disorder. The findings will be used to test the validity of the broken windows thesis and implications for policy and future research will be discussed.

Author

• Sue-Ming Yang, George Mason University