Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
7245868 | Journal of Environmental Psychology | 2015 | 29 Pages |
Abstract
Declines in children's independent mobility are frequently attributed to parents' fears about stranger danger, yet there is limited understanding of the factors that might aggravate (or ease) these concerns. We examined the social and built environment correlates of parents': (1) fears about strangers harming their child; and (2) perceptions of the likelihood this would actually happen. We also tested whether associations differed by area socio-economic status (SES) as parents in low income neighbourhoods, typically with more crime, may hold greater fears for their children's safety. Results suggest that regardless of SES, neighbourhood features that encouraged pedestrians, whilst minimising vehicle traffic, were most conducive to parents perceiving a safer neighbourhood. The natural surveillance generated by a more walkable neighbourhood may help alleviate parents' fears about strangers.
Related Topics
Social Sciences and Humanities
Psychology
Applied Psychology
Authors
Sarah Foster, Lisa Wood, Jacinta Francis, Matthew Knuiman, Karen Villanueva, Billie Giles-Corti,