Open Minds, Open Spaces : Mindset Changes During Urban Walking

Abstract

Our interest in this article is to explore how people reshape their mind-sets during walking in different urban places and spaces in the city. We argue that mind-set changes are socially mediated in relation to specific environments. Mentally closed environments can be opened through social interaction and social reflection of meanings of environments and spaces. This process presupposes personal experiences in environments and social closeness with others; it also presupposes familiarization with other people’s social worlds and arenas. We present how people’s interaction with environments, buildings, objects, and artifacts creates new meanings, affects people’s social interaction and appreciations. Theoretical framework for understanding this process is constructed using social worlds/arenas theory based on symbolic interactionism and “embodied placemaking” assumptions. Our methodology of is called video-recorded walking combines principles of walking ethnography and video ethnography. In the analysis, we pay attention to key situations and moments which transform people’s mind-sets.