Collaborative research: understanding attitude formation at different spatial scales

The Santa Fe Institute received $131,078 in funding from the National Science Foundation's Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences under the Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences program (CFDA 47.075) for a collaborative research project spanning July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2028. The award supports research investigating how geographic contexts and spatial scales influence attitude formation and interpersonal interactions at the block, neighborhood, and city levels. The project advances theoretical understanding through an interdisciplinary mathematical model integrating social psychology and urban science to address three primary research questions: the degree to which attitudes vary across places and spatial scales, the explanatory power of nested urban and neighborhood contexts on attitude formation, and the relationship between spatial variation in attitudes and quality of local interpersonal interactions.

Beyond primary research objectives, the project delivers educational and methodological products designed to build capacity in the field. The award funds development of an online course and a suite of example data analysis pipelines that demonstrate the application of novel integrative methods in attitude research. These training resources support students and researchers in adopting the project's theoretical frameworks and analytical approaches. The research ultimately aims to develop new integrative methodologies in attitude research that contribute to national prosperity and welfare by promoting understanding of how geographic and social contexts shape community connection and interpersonal quality of life.

Abstract

Ultimately, people want to feel connected to people on their block, in their neighborhood, and in their city or town. That connection can in large part depend on interpersonal interactions, whether experienced as pleasant or uncomfortable, and these interactions are often shaped by people?S positive or negative attitudes. What is known about attitude formation is largely based on individual experiences and how those individual experiences influence attitude formation. This project advances what is known about attitude formation and attitude changes, by examining how geographic contexts shape the formation of attitudes and influence the quality of interpersonal interactions. This project tests three questions derived from an interdisciplinary mathematical model of attitude formation. This model draws inspiration from social psychology and urban science to explicitly account for interactions at different spatial scales. Specifically, the project tests: (1) how much do attitudes vary across place and spatial scale? (2) how much can the nested contexts of cities and neighborhoods explain about attitude formation? (3) how much variation in attitudes across spatial scales and places is related to the quality of local interpersonal interactions? To support training for students and researchers, the project also includes the development of an online course and a set of example data analysis pipelines demonstrating the application of these methods. This research develops novel integrative methods in attitude research, offering new theoretical frameworks that promote national prosperity and welfare. This project is jointly funded by social psychology and the established program to stimulate competitive research (EPSCOR). This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are not planned for this award.