Collective efficacy is the defining feature of a safe, ordened and pleasant neighborhood. It is the belief of a group of people that they can influence their surroundings to their advantage and it can be developed by external interventions from Justice in Practice.
Do you dread coming home because you do not feel safe in your neighborhood or do you eagerly look for trusted images of neighbors? Do you feel the urge to upkeep and aid your neighbors if they need anything and can you approach many neighbors for assistance? These are signs that you live in a neighborhood with high collective efficacy.
Collective efficacy works as follows. Neighbors trust each other to be supportive of the neighborhood and have shared expectations of positive behavior in a neighborhood that they want to live. These neighbors exert positive social control and stimulate norm-congruent behavior. People – even when they are individualized – are herd animals and have an overpowering desire to belong to a dominant group in the neighborhood. Therefore, we are sensitive to people demonstrating desirable behavior and we automatically follow.
Collective efficacy can be created and dismantled. Justice in Practice has ample experience in coaching neighbors in developing trust and shared ideas about an ideal neighborhoods. A host of common activities and enquiries into the interests and priorities of neighbors halp transform anonymous and grisly neighborhoods into more welcoming and well kept homes for a community of people.
