Community Complexity and Knowledge of Facilities

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Abstract
This research examines the relationships among three sets of variables: the amount of differentiation (or complexity) of a community, individual characteristics of its residents, and residents' knowledge of available facilities. A sample of 144 communities in upstate New York was drawn. Community differentiation was measured by means of the Medical Specialties Scale. A subsample of 32 communities was drawn, and in each of these a random sample of 40 noninstitutionalized men and women was interviewed. Multiple regression analysis was the statistical procedure used to test the hypothesis of the study. The findings uncovered an interaction effect, i.e., the relationship between community complexity and knowledge is different within different categories of communities. There is a negative relationship between community complexity and knowledge of facilities for rural communities, but for large cities the relationship is positive. The findings are interpreted as resulting from different sources of knowledge in different types of communities.

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