Impact of Limited Domestic Space on Psychological Comfort in

Sri Lankan Urban Context

TOPIC EXPLANATION

“Urbanization is a process that leads to the growth of cities due to industrialization and
economic development, and that lead to urban-specific changes in specialization, lobber
division and human behaviors.”

Assoc.Prof.Dr

In development counties, urbanization is an old process and it was formed in parallel with
industrialization, technologic reforms, and infrastructure services, and developing continues.
In underdeveloped and developing countries. This process is more recent and has been rapidly
experienced in a short time.

Res. Assist. Dr., Erciyes Univ. Tip Fak. Psikiyatri Anabilim Dali, Kayseri

In this case urban cities space are limited, because divided small scale land for residential
prepares. The UDA approved for minimum land size is 6 perch in Sri Lankan Urban Context. And
tiny houses can make big dreams come true. For an extremely small but growing segment of the
population, the diminutive dwellings are making home ownership a real possibility.

JUSTIFICATION

Urbanization is such a process that it leads to the growth of cities related to industrial and
economic development. Urbanization cause problems such as stressful life events, poor social
network, and rapid growth of cities because of immigration. All of these factors may negatively
affect mental health. The psychological factors are living environment, social background and
genes.
Especially in developing countries among the problems, which have been faced in the last 30-35
years, are the rapid increase in population and rapid urbanization. Because of rapid urbanization,
in short period, urban population has increased violently. This situation leads to negative impacts
on social, economic, and psychological characteristics of people and groups living in cities. It can
be said that social, economic, and political factors are key variables for the relationship between
urbanization process and mental health. Recently individuals seem to prefer living in small
countryside, maintaining their work in cities in order to minimize the negative impacts of rapid
urbanization.
Urbanization involves social drift and social residue concepts that may explain prevalence of
urban mental disorder. Social drift is defined as the tendency of certain individuals to migrate to
certain areas, whereas social residue expresses residual groups remaining at certain areas after
migration of population.

This study therefore aims to understand the psychological effects of space in dwelling, by
studding to a large extent, as a result, our minds evolved for small-scale living. Modern urbanized
contexts, then, mismatch our natural psychological and social environments in important ways.
The relatively high prevalence of mental disorders in urbanized areas that is found across the
globe, thus, may well be understood in terms of the evolutionary-mismatch position proposed
here. The exploit desperate urbanites by charging premium prices for increasingly small spaces.
Others have raised concerns about a more personal, lasting mental damage

METHODOLGY

Spatial dimensions vary, height has better capabilities of influencing positive emotional response.
However analyzing many studies indicate that, individuals however prefer 6 perch land scale
housing spaces.

In order to analysis this topic first, six houses of having 6 perch area will be selected from
Colombo metropolitan area. In order to select these houses small survey will be conducted so
that 3 houses from each introverted and extroverted will select. Careful examinations will be
undergone in selecting these houses where different spatial outlook and textures will be chosen.
It is important to note that dwelling area of 6 perch will be strictly observed.

Next phase of the case study will be to prepare a questionnaire survey to obtain occupants
feedback from each houses. When selecting houses no of occupants will also be in concern where
much preference will be given to dwellings having more occupants.

When preparing such questionnaire, much attention will be given to occupants satisfaction and
feeling towards living in that place. Basic information as well as duration of staying will collect. It
is important that other variables which does not affect psychological comfort to be kept as same
as possible in each dwelling for comparison.

Social status, financial background etc. also indirectly affect for psychological status. Therefore it
is important to keep such parameters constant as much as possible within the selected houses.

Current feeling for their own living space as well as future expectations towards their living in the
current place will also be included into questionnaire. Every person except infants will consider
for this survey.

After that survey data will be evaluated and as it is highly subjective area, manual processing will
be carried out without using much extensive software.

Finally conclusion and recommendations will be given based on the results how limited space
affect psychologically.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

 Savrun MB, Balcıoğlu İ. Kentleşme, kadın ve şiddet. İ Balcıoğlu (Ed.), Biyolojik, Sosyolojik,
Psikolojik Açıdan Şiddet, İstanbul, Yüce Reklam Yayım Dağıtım, 2000, s.39-50.
 Guite H.F, Clark C, Ackrill G. The impact of the physical and urban environment on
mental wellbeing. Public Health 2006
 Sugihara, S., & Evans, G. W. (2000). Place attachment and social support at continuing
care retirement communities. Environment & Behavior