Reading Response: Community Reading

Four Elements of Sense of Community
A phycological sense of community is key to self-definition:

1. Membership
   This includes boundaries, emotional safety, belonging and identification, personal investment, and a common symbol system.
   
   
2. Influence
   This often occurs when the needs, values and opinions of others are acknowledged as well as trust from members of that community.
   
   
3. Integration and Fulfillment of Needs
   Not only does this represent means of survival, but also values and desires. Interdependence and homogeneity should occur within the group.
   
   
4. Shared Emotional Connection
   This includes contact, the quality of interaction, closure of events, shared events, investment in community, effect of honor and humiliation on community members, spiritual bond.

Formula #1
Shared emotional connection = contact + high-quality interaction

Formula #2

High-quality interaction = (events with successful closure - ambiguity) x (even valnce x sharedness of event) + amount of honor given to members - amount of humiliation

These exist in a circular manner where all conditions having both causes and effects. These studies inform the development of programs or ideas where a one-to-one context may benefit from the positive influence of a quality community.