This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by du Toit, L. Articles by Owen, N. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Does Walking in the Neighbourhood Enhance Local Sociability?

Cancer Prevention Research Centre, School of Population Health, Public Health Building, Herston Road, Herston, Brisbane, Queensland 4006, Australia, l.dutoit{at}sph.uq.edu.au

Ester Cerin

Institute of Human Performance, The University of Hong Kong, 111 Pokfulam Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, ecerin{at}hku.hk

Evie Leslie

School of Health and Social Development, Deakin University, Waterfront Campus, 1 Gheringhap Street, Geelong, Victoria, Australia 3217, evie.leslie{at}deakin.edu.au

Neville Owen

Cancer Prevention Research Centre, School of Population Health, Public Health Building, Herston Road, Herston, Brisbane, Queensland 4006, Australia, n.owen{at}sph.uq.edu.au

The walkability of urban neighbourhoods has emerged as a strong component in policy and design models for active, liveable communities. This paper examines the proposition that more walkable neighbourhoods encourage local social interaction, a sense of community, informal social control and social cohesion; and that the relationship is explained by walking for transport or for recreation. Multilevel analyses of data from an Australian sample showed a modest association between the walkability of a neighbourhood and sense of community only. Walking for transport, but not recreation, mediated this relationship although the effect was small. These results support contentions that 'walkability' is more complex than usually defined and that factors influencing neighbourhood sociability extend beyond issues of urban form.

Urban Studies, Vol. 44, No. 9, 1677-1695 (2007)
DOI: 10.1080/00420980701426665


CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C. E. Bean, R. Kearns, and D. Collins Exploring Social Mobilities: Narratives of Walking and Driving in Auckland, New Zealand Urban Stud, December 1, 2008; 45(13): 2829 - 2848. [Abstract] [PDF]