Semester
Summer
Date of Graduation
2020
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Type
MA
College
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Department
Sociology and Anthropology
Committee Chair
Katie Corcoran
Committee Member
Christopher Scheitle
Committee Member
Rachael Woldoff
Abstract
Many researchers have studied gentrification. Much of the existing research on gentrification has focused on the extent of population displacement and changes in the community economic profile. Others have focused on the experiences of residents during and after gentrification. In this paper, I take the latter approach. Using data from the 2018 Pittsburgh Quality of Life survey, I examine the effects of gentrification on a range of community-related attitudes (e.g. sense of place and group cohesion). Specifically, I compared residents who reside in gentrifying or gentrified neighborhoods with those who live in neighborhoods that have not gentrified. My two main research questions were: 1) Do residents in gentrifying neighborhoods have a decreased sense of place and group cohesion? 2) Does residents’ length of residence amplify the effects of gentrification on community attitudes? I found evidence to support the first hypothesis, but the second hypothesis was not supported. I discuss results, implications of the research, and possible directions for future research.
Recommended Citation
DiGregorio, Bernard, "The Effects of Gentrification on Residents’ Sense of Place and Group Cohesion: A Study of Pittsburgh Neighborhoods" (2020). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 7733.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/7733