Urban Green Areas – their functions under a changing lifestyle of ...

low-income and immigrant communities, but far less acceptable behaviour in middle and
upper income communities. Complying with community norms provides security and
acceptance; defying them is much more difficult.
“The location of the attitude–behavior relation in more general theoretical models, such as
the theory of reasoned action and the theory of planned behavior, has advanced
understanding by showing how the influence of attitudes combines with that of social
norms and perceptions of control to shape intentions and behaviors. Further theoretical
insight has been provided by Fazio's research on the moderating role played by direct
behavioral experience with the attitude object” (MANSTEAD 2001: 909).
3.2.3.7 Mentality
Mentality is “the particular attitude or way of thinking of a person or group. (…) That is a
set of attitudes or fixed ideas that somebody has and that are often difficult to change”
(OUP 2011: n.p.). The term ‘mentality’ is used in studies at the national level about culture,
politics, psychology, etc. (for example: “National Psychology” (DUIJKER/FRIJDA 1960),
“Country review Sweden” (ASTROM 2006), "National Character: the study of modal
personality and socio-cultural systems" (INKELES/LEVINSON 1960), “Constitutional
Cultures: The Mentality and Consequences of Judicial Review” (NAGEL 1993 ) or groups
of specific people (for instance: mass mentality Mass Mentality, Culture Industry, Fascism
(AHMED 2008), “The new mentality” (PERIERA 2007:9).
Mentality, on the one hand, is a very important element that influences an individual’s
lifestyle. On the other hand, the mentality of a community is established partly by
livelihood.
Vietnam has a long tradition of livelihood by wet-rice cultivation, which involves planting
rice on dry land, transferring the seedlings to a flooded field and draining the field before
harvesting (e.g., in Thailand, Vietnam). The peoples’ livelihood depends very much on
natural conditions and weather. That is rather different with western mentality which strives
instead to improve on nature, and force nature to serve people’s purposes.
Vietnamese live in harmony with nature. They work when the weather facilitates their
crops, and stay in, do leisure activities when the weather is inconvenient for the work.
Furthermore, their livelihood requires them to work together (as described in 3.1.4) and so
their leisure activities are also frequently communal. In summary, the Vietnamese mentality
is accommodating, flexible and emphasise a reliance on others.
3.2.3.8 Spatial factor
Spatial factor does affect lifestyle in terms of the opportunity to practice specific activities.
For example, people in mountain areas of Vietnam have more opportunity to hike and less
to swim than people in coast areas. People in rural area go to cities on special events and
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