Community Identity as an Indicator of Quality of Life: A Theoretical Model and Empirical Test

Within the realm of identity research, community identity has garnered attention from disciplines such as sociology, community psychology, and public administration. However, previous studies have predominantly focused on the concept of “identity”, often overlooking the “community” itself as an object of identity. Further exploration of the theory of community identity within the specific context of communities is warranted. Drawing from social identity theory, this study employs thematic analysis and exploration, investigating aspects such as frequency, intensity, structure, and process. The analysis is based on textual materials gathered from interviews in a first-tier city in China. The findings of our research unveil that community identity comprises three interconnected dimensions: functional identity, governance identity, and affective identity. These dimensions collectively form an integral whole, serving as the foundation, guarantee, and core, respectively. This contributes to the construction of a comprehensive theoretical model of community identity. Subsequently, a scale derived from this theoretical model was developed and cross-validated using a sample of 562 participants. Our research significantly contributes to the advancement of community identity theory within the realm of grassroots practice. Furthermore, it provides valuable indicators for evaluating the quality of life within the local community.