Human behaviour and economic growth

A psychocultural perspective on local and regional development

Bibliographic Data

ID4143003
AuthorsRichard Huggins (0000-0001-9798-8614, Cardiff University, corresponding author), Robert Huggins, Piers Thompson (0000-0003-1961-7441, Nottingham Trent University), Martin Obschonka (0000-0002-0853-7166, Queensland University of Technology)
Year2018
Volume50
Issue6
Pages1269-1289
Publication date2018-09-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueEnvironment and Planning A Economy and Space (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0308-518X • E-ISSN: 1472-3409
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/0308518x18778035
OpenAlexW2809174021
LanguageEN
Citations received4
References cited97

A renewed emphasis on behavioural traits has emerged as a means of explaining regional and local differences in economic performance and development. Given this, the aim of this study is to identify distinct local psychocultural behavioural profiles, and to examine the extent to which these are associated with economic growth. Combining theories of community culture and personality psychology into a holistic spatially oriented perspective, the paper argues that the types of human behaviour found across local places emerges from the co-evolution of cultural and personality factors. An empirical analysis of localities in Great Britain identifies and explores three underlying psychocultural profiles: Diverse Extraversion; Inclusive Amenability and Individual Commitment. It is found that inclusive amenable and individually committed psychocultural behaviour generally appear to hold back local economic growth, with the exception of recessionary periods. The reverse relationship is somewhat the case for diverse extravert behaviour. It is concluded that a better understanding of the holistic relationship and co-evolution of the cultural and psychological behavioural make-up of localities and regions has the potential to provide new insights into expected development outcomes as well as the forms of policy intervention that are required within regions and localities, each of which has its own individual psychocultural character

Big Five personality traits · Economic geography · Extraversion and introversion · Geography · Personality · Sociology · Psychology · Social and Cultural Dynamics · Social Capital and Networks · Social Psychology · Urban, Neighborhood, and Segregation Studies