Journal of College & University Student Housing Vol. 47 No. 2 - 70

Uniquely understanding the varying perspectives and
lenses through which students experience physical space
may help in decision-making processes connected to
campus master planning and inevitably student success.
who bring attention to the influence of additional attributes of social identity (such as
multiracial and gender non-binary categorization) in SOC development for students
at faith-based institutions. These scholars
situate their work in understanding the inclusion and religious pluralism inherent in
SOC formation. They further contend that
the construct of sense of community may be
perceived differently based on one's community affiliations because of varying " levels of
social support, participation in community
groups, and alienation " (Bottom et al., 2013,
p. 12; also see Bishop et al., 2002).

Exploring elements of sense of community, such as communal support, group association, and peer isolation, also resonates
with the findings of other researchers who
explore student perceptions of SOC based
on gender and elements of building design such as hall density, communal space,
and individual privacy. Specifically, a noteworthy finding among multiple authors is
that women report that a shared living experience in less crowded facilities is most
favorable (Amole, 2005; Kaya & Erkip,
2001). Conversely, while men enjoy access
to shared spaces, they prefer more private
living accommodations (Amole, 2005; Li
et al., 2007). Similarly, Meir et al. (2007) reported that men tend to use personal space
for rest, sleep, and study, whereas women
utilized their bedroom to engage in social
interactions and develop friendships. For
these reasons, Li et al. (2007) posited that
the tendency to feel greater satisfaction with
the overall campus housing experience is
higher among female students than it is

among male students. Despite some limitations in generalizability based on scope,
context, and regionality, specific discoveries
from these scholars are worthy to reference
when trying to make sense of and more
deeply understand the interaction effects of
gender and space.

Common themes among contemporary
studies are the existence of experiential differences based on the configuration, size, and
function of residence hall room types. Notably, two floor plan configurations (traditional
corridor-style and suite-style) monopolize the
research landscape of studies investigating
arrangement effects on student experiences.
Brandon et al. (2008) discuss the community association formed as a result of residents'
experiences within these specific student
housing design types. Social experiences take
place in private student rooms within traditional corridor-style halls, but in suite-style
floor plans, communal areas such as lounges and shared bathrooms are designated
as social space for residents (Khozaei et al.,
2014). Building layout and design are often
approached with the intentionality of increasing specific types of human interactions.
Those examined by Brandon et al. (2008)
relate to specific components of communal
association-fostering a sense of belonging,
fulfilling needs, experiencing influential inclinations, and engaging in emotional connectedness to others-that can be enhanced
by the layout of a building. Even though
students reported different frequencies and
locations of interactions based on the layout
of the floor plan, differences in interaction
type were not noted. In another study, Devlin

Volume 47, No. 2 * 2021

Journal of College & University Student Housing Vol. 47 No. 2

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