Methodology The method used in the study is a mixed research method (qualitative-quantitative) and practical in terms of purpose. In the qualitative section, the data gathering tool was a semi-organized interview with 26 people including 14 women and 12 men and a coding analysis method along with a four-step reduction of concepts. In the quantitative part, data was collected through a questionnaire, and data analysis was carried out using SPSS software and drawing the structural equation of variables
’ relationships within Amos Graphic software. Statistical society was Ahvaz city residents and sample size was 392 respondents that
had completed in selected neighborhood (Bagh-Sheykh and Kian-Abad) based on randomized population balancing method (respectively 101 and 291 questionnaire).
Results and discussion In
the first step, qualitative semi-organized interview resulted in 17 components and 5 dimensions for the place attachment variable. Quantitative part of research show
s that all 5 analyzed components of place attachment are greater than supposed average (3) and the lowest amount is for place dependence. Residents
analysis of neighborhoods vitality is significantly greater than supposed average and in Bagh-Sheykh neighborhood
, it is greater a little
more than Kian-Abad, although this
difference is in not statistically significant. While confirming the fit of the designed model of the main research variables (value χ^2⁄df =4.908 & RMSEA= 0.100), also
, the results of the quantitative part supports the direct and significant impact of place attachment on urban vitality (the standard coefficient of the route is 0.806 and the significance coefficient is less than 0.0001). Also, the direct effects model of five-fold dimension of place attachment on urban vitality, confirms the direct effect of place identity dimensions, emotional-cognitive connection, and place dependence on the vitality of urban neighborhoods; showing that place identity is the most effective dimension of place attachment concerning urban vitality.
Conclusion This research confirmed the positive effect of place attachment of residents on vitality of Ahvaz city neighborhoods and showed that place identity is the most important effective component of place attachment on vitality of Ahvaz city neighborhoods. So
, in general,
since forming of vitality in urban neighborhoods is connected with place and affected by place-base communities, yet vitality is one of components of urban spaces qualities, so this concept
is related with qualities of people-place links such as place attachment.