Urbanization and community attachment in rural areas

The effects of urbanization on community attachment were examined using data collected in a general population survey from a random sample of individuals in four rural communities with differing levels of urban presence and pressure in Pennsylvania. Building upon Wirth's (1938) theory of urbanism, it was hypothesized that residents of the more rural communities would have higher levels of community attachment than the residents of the most urban community, net of other factors. The data did not support the hypothesis. With respect to two of the three measures of community attachment examined, residents of two more rural communities exhibited statistically significant lower levels of community attachment than those of the most urban sire. Possible implications of the findings are advanced.