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Topophobia based on the experience of fear of crime -long-term differences Sources: authors' survey and processing; background map © ČÚZK, 2020
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The concept of topophobia has been known in Geography for decades. Places which evoke fear in people's minds can be found in almost every city. The perception of fear within an urban environment shows a certain spatio-temporal concentration and is often represented by fear of crime. The meaning of topophobic places, however, derived from the experi...
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... Furthermore, fear of crime is now recognised as a pressing social problem that requires attention. Even a significant reduction in crime does not necessarily guarantee an increase in the feeling of safety among the population (Tulumello, 2015;Šimáček et al., 2020). Hence, fear of crime has emerged as a focal point for research across multiple disciplines. ...
... Concerning time, two conceptualisations could be employed: first, linear time or the one-way flow of time; second, cyclical time or the cyclical flow of time (Fuchs, 2018;Šimáček et al., 2020). This paper deals mainly with cyclical time or cyclical temporality. ...
This paper evaluates the role of ‘temporality’ in defining functional regions. Functional regions are viewed as relatively closed in terms of selected population flows (or more generally concerning spatial interactions). They are usually defined by the daily commuting to work and are therefore commonly referred to as local labour market areas or travel-to-work areas. Using mobile phone location data, however, it is possible to work with population flows in a broader temporal and spatial context. Then we can talk about the temporality alternatives of functional regions depending on whether we base them on regular daily population flows, irregular daily population flows (which, according to the data analysis, are irregular from an individual’s point of view but regular from a spatial unit’s point of view between which they take place) or weekend population flows. Thus, several functional region’s versions can be defined for a single regional system, where the different population movement’s rhythm lengths movements limit their length and also determine their hierarchy. All functional regions’ temporal alternatives according to mobile phone location data are defined based on data from the Czech Republic.
... Města a percepci obyvatel s nimi spojenou je možné zkoumat z různých úhlů pohledu, ať už se jedná o vnímání bezpečí ve městě (Šimáček, Fiedor, Brisudová 2020), percepci tepelných ostrovů (Květoňová a kol. 2024) či otázku cyklodopravy (Lawson et al. 2013;Pánek, Benediktsson 2017). ...
This paper deals with the topic of the perception of the centre and the periphery. With the help of mental maps, it investigates how the city’s inhabitants orient themselves in the space of Olomouc’s city districts and the city of Olomouc itself. Data were collected by filling out a digital blind map. The respondents first drew the district in which they live, then other districts they know, and finally where they think
the borders of the city of Olomouc are. The research was supplemented with questions about the gender and age of the respondents for demographic analysis and questions about permanent residence in Olomouc, or for what purpose they go to the city. The map responses were analysed in QGIS. The aim was to find matches between the responses from the mental maps and the actual boundaries of city districts with the highest number of responses or those selected as interesting by the author. The paper evaluates how citizen participation and knowledge of the city can influence its development.
... Reviewing our results, we see that manipulating the presence of physical and social disorder in our VE results in statistically significant differences in (some of) our experienced safety and situational fear of crime survey measures. Generally speaking, we take this to corroborate earlier research that reported significant (positive) relationships between disorder and (situational) fear of crime (Hinkle and Weisburd 2008;Brunton-Smith and Sturgis 2011;Brunton-Smith et al. 2014;Irvin-Erickson et al. 2020;Šimáček et al. 2020;Kuen et al. 2022). At the same time, and contrary to our expectations, all but one of the physiological indicators rendered null findings. ...
The current study combines an experimental research design, Virtual Reality (VR) and multimodal (survey and physiological) measurements to measure and explain situational fear of crime. 159 participants completed our VR experiment in which we focused on the role of physical and social disorder in engendering situational fear of crime. Drawing on our survey measures, we find significant effects of disorder on a variety of outcome variables: situationally experienced safety, fear of theft, fear of verbal aggression, fear and physical aggression and fear of sexually transgressive behaviour. Most of our physiological measures rendered null findings. Hence, we also conclude that the results from our two data sources (survey measures vs. physiological measures) diverge in important ways.
... Topophilia has been described as the "human love of place" (Tuan, 1990, p. 92) and encompasses a person's positive affect to an environment, associated with feelings of pleasure and delight, an appreciation of visual aesthetics, and attachment to places through familiarity, memory, and sense of belonging (Hay, 1998;Tuan, 1990;Relph, 1976). Conversely topophobia refers to "fear of place" (Bowring, 2013, p. 109), linked with feelings of hatred, distrust, danger, and places to be actively avoided (Ruan & Hogben, 2007;Šimáček et al., 2020). Importantly, topophobia and topophilia are dynamic and influenced by various temporal, social, and physical factors, and peoples' subjective experiences and memories of a place (Brisudová & Klapka, 2023;Ruan & Hogben, 2007). ...
... The social dynamics of places can also affect perceptions with places where intoxicated, homeless, or and marginalised populations congregate, often perceived as dangerous (Šerý et al., 2023). The time of day can affect topophobic perceptions, where green spaces, parks, and historical town centres are admired and perceived as pleasant during the day, but places to be feared and avoided during the night Šimáček et al., 2020). ...
... Research exploring topophilia and topophobia in urban spaces predominantly concentrates on analysing the spatial distribution of these phenomena to identify hotspots characterised by positive and negative perceptions (e.g. Cucu et al., 2011;Šimáček et al., 2020). Given the inherent connection between time and space, and the influence of time on peoples' daily movements, it is crucial for studies on perception to also explore the temporal distribution (i.e. ...
This study evaluates positive (topophilic) and negative (topophobic) perceptions of places using participatory mapping methods. Current research on mapping perceptions of urban environments relies heavily on retrospective self-reports from citizens. These methods are often susceptible to recall bias and do not capture granular information about urban environments. Places are dynamic, and peoples' perceptions of them vary by time and space. To address these gaps in methods, we collected data from individuals living in two cities, Olomouc, Czech Republic and Brisbane, Australia. GIS was used to analyse a combined total of 634 momentary assessments from Olomouc, and 318 assessments from Brisbane. Our findings suggest that this approach can yield accurate and reliable data about perceptions of topophobia and topophilia in the two cities as well as enable researchers to clearly define hotspots and hot times related to individual activity spaces.
... It contains several essential articles brilliantly addressing the diversity of topophilia, including that of Yifu Tuan, Joseph Rykwert, and Neil Leach. In addition, some quantitative methods were also developed based on topophilia and topophobia to better understand the affective bond between people and the environment, and thus stimulate local and regional development (Oliveira 2010;Šimáček 2020). ...
This study explores how high structures shape the space identity through a vertical form of self-alienation and transcendence, which is proposed as skyphilia to be the counterpart of topophilia in this study. Three hierarchical concepts, namely, topophilia, topophobia, and skyphilia are elaborated to understand the relationship between man and the environment. Accordingly, different motivations to form the space identity are discovered based on various psychological cognitions. Typical high structures characterized by distinctive identities, ranging from the primitive societies to modern metropolia, such as the Babel Tower, the Egyptian Pyramids and Obelisks, the Eiffel Tower, the Sagrada Familia, the Burj Khalifa Tower, and the Golden Gate Bridge, are studied comparatively to discover their common base and differences in forming the space identity. The constituent motivations of skyphilia are specifically discussed, i.e., (1) the functional requirements of various high structures, (2) the materialistic symbolism to represent material sufficiency or technical excellence by alienating itself through height, and (3) the spiritual symbolism to reflect people’s desire to transcend the world skyward. At last, the Zifeng Tower of Nanjing will be taken as an example with four modes of horizontality to build the equilibrium between topophilia and skyphilia. The results show that skyphilia and topophilia are two parallel ways to overcome the primitive topophobia through self-affirmation and self-alienation, but they may also lead to the other two kinds of topophobia characterized by over-affirmation and over-alienation. Skyphilia could be achieved by balancing its constituent motivations, and equilibrium between topophilia and skyphilia is essential for the space identity in modern cities.
... Lenzholzer & Koh, 2010, Aram et al., 2020. Since mental images and the resulting mental maps frequently show their rhythmicity (Lynch, 1960:86;Habib & Sashourpour, 2012;Š imáček, Š erý, Fiedor, & Brisudová, 2020), future studies could also research (un)comfortable locations, with the focus on temporal differences between day and night intervals and differences during and between particular seasons. ...
With increasing urbanisation and climate change, citizens are more frequently exposed to heat stress. In the current pragmatists’ discourse, efforts to adapt cities to deteriorating climate conditions should reflect not only the objective (physical) effects of the proposed measures, but also citizens’ preferences, which influence the perception schemata and mental image of a place. This study employs the innovative approach of mental mapping, using an online survey to identify mental hotspots and coolspots in two Central European cities of Plzeň and Olomouc (Czechia). Map points and polygons, indicating locations thermally (un)comfortable to individual respondents, are combined into aggregate mental maps. Personal behavioural adaptation measures and citizens’ preferences for measures ameliorating thermal discomfort in thermally uncomfortable areas are analysed. The results show that the most preferred measures for improving thermal comfort are trees and parks, and a combination of greenery with blue elements. Other measures, such as temporary greenery, green roofs and facades, exterior shading elements, water spraying and misting, and street sprinkling, are substantially less frequently proposed. However, there are spatial differences between the preferred measures. The character of mental coolspots confirms citizens’ preferences for trees and parks and its synergy with blue elements and provides inspiration for positive change in (mental) hotspots. Moreover, the uneven spatial distribution of mental coolspots in the studied cities revealed neighbourhoods with few or no cooling opportunities in public areas.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169204623000324?dgcid=coauthor
... Most unsafety perception-focused studies have dealt with cities outside Central and Eastern Europe (the exceptions being, e.g., Pánek et al., 2017;Rišová and Sládeková Madajová, 2020;Šimáček et al., 2020). However, regardless of geographi-cal region, studies of small rural towns are lacking. ...
Safety perception research on small remote peripheral towns is lacking. In the present study, the spatio-temporal patterns of unsafety perceptions in the town of Želiezovce (Slovakia), a town with less than 7,000 inhabitants, was examined. The study is based on the emotional mapping of 98 young adolescents (between the ages of 10 to 16). Fear-related areas were identified using the kernel density method. The day-and night-time spatio-temporal patterns of perceived threats and fear-related areas were analysed. Regardless of the time of the day, the most frequently mentioned threats perceived by the participants were people-related. The spatial pattern of fear-related areas was not stable in time, with more fear-related areas appearing after dark.
... A detailed knowledge of the area leads to the observation that these locations are often zones occupied by those of lower social status [81,82]. Locations of perceived thermal discomfort in certain cases overlap with places of that inspire anxiety, even fear [83], or with places that people perceive as unpleasant in general [46,84]. This, together with the above-discussed role of noise and air pollution, emphasizes that thermal (dis)comfort and resulting heat stress must be assessed in the context of the overall experience of a place [31,32] and clearly illustrates the significance and complexity of the mental component of thermal comfort. ...
Most studies addressing heat in urban environments focus on thermal conditions and neglect the mental component of thermal comfort. This study employs mental maps to analyse thermal (dis)comfort in the medium-sized Czech cities of Olomouc and Plzeň in summer. Locations of “mental hotspots” are identified particularly on busy streets, at transport hubs, and in the city centres. The results reveal mental hotspots as highly-frequented locations in which people experience inferior thermal and environmental conditions. Slight variations in the spatial patterns of thermal discomfort for particular groups of persons are described. Mental hotspots overlap with surface temperature hotspots by less than half of their area; differences are statistically significant and spatially modulated. Overlap areas of “mental” and “real” hotspots show a promising approach towards indication of locations prone to development of heat stress in urban areas. These findings may contribute to adaptation to climate change and to urban planning, which should address not only the physical but also the subjectively-perceived issues of thermal comfort.
This article evaluates the distance-decay functions of regional centres in the Czech Republic based on mobile phone location data. Therefore, it expands on what is known about the influence of regional centres where mobile phone location data enables many new parameters to be evaluated. The temporality of people flows can be distinguished, the examined flows can be divided into daily and weekend flows, etc. The daily flows are distinctly limited by time and can be further split into regular flows (work, school) and irregular flows (day trips, work trips, etc.). In general, the temporality of flows has a basic influence on the shape and development of the distance-decay function as a limiting factor. The mobile phone location data's character also allows for the confrontation of centripetal and centrifugal flows. The results show a disproportionate distribution of these two directions for regular daily flows and weekend flows. On the contrary, the irregular daily flows centripetal and centrifugal directions are distributed proportionally, and these flow directions also do not have a more distinct influence on the distance-decay function's development. In addition to the original radius of the influence parameter, the definition and quantification of the parameter determining the spatial influence of a regional centre, i.e., the area of influence, is the article's methodological added value.
