For some years the writers and their colleagues have employed the concept of
'place-identity'in their conceptualization of selected problems of the physical environment (Proshansky, 1978; Proshansky et al., 1979; Proshansky and Kaminoff, 1982).
Because of its derivation from self theory, its meaning was relatively easy to establish
and make use of in the analysis of person/physical setting problems. Later on in this
paper we will provide a more formal definition of place-identity and its properties.
At this point, however, what is needed is a brief review of the social and cultural
processes involved in the development of self-identity. From this discussion, the
theoretical significance of physical settings and their properties in regard to selfidentity will clearly emerge. Paradoxically, what will also emerge is the realization of an almost complete neglect of the role of places and spaces in this aspect of human psychological development.