We often choose places because they are meaningful to us. Not hugely surprising. But what’s important for destinations is that emotional attachment can outweigh other factors. We can subconsciously favour other options or ignore flaws. Where we live, where we want to socialise and where we want to go on holiday – preference is influenced by bias, by an automatic, intuitive response. 

But a strong attachment can also make us resistant to change, ignore problems or stay in places that no longer serve us. Think people refusing to move out of unfit homes as a new development takes shape around them.

A place attachment is formed through the interaction between emotion and repetition. Emotion gives a place initial weight in your memory, influencing what gets encoded more strongly to create our mental map..

Repetition makes things habitual and gives the memory durability, strengthening the neural pathways.

What’s useful for placemakers is that while place attachment builds through time, it can also take hold quickly through emotionally charged experiences. 

Even a handful of moments can create a strong sense of connection when they resonate on a human level. We remember places through the moments that stand out, how those moments made us feel and the people we were with. Episodic memories are not just about what happened and when, but where they happened.

It is a multidimensional connection.
Emotional – how the place makes you feel.
Social – the people involved in the memories.
Cognitive – the visual map and how to navigate it
Behavioural – the routines and actions it shapes. 

What’s more, place is baked into our identity and sense of self. No wonder we get emotionally attached. We’ll explore that next time…