Friendliness as a systemic characteristic of the residential environment: significance and needs of young families with young children

Based on surveys of experts and representatives of young families with children, the author has identified the specific requirements for the residential environment. The paper introduces the concept of "friendliness of the residential environment" to describe the requirements of a residential environment conducive to fulfilling the functions of young families. The empirical research focuses on materials from expert interviews and interviews with representatives of young families. Expert interviews provided characteristics of residential environment friendliness. Interviews with representatives of young families living in objectively friendly and unfriendly environments revealed their perceptions of the friendliness or unfriendliness of their surroundings. The purpose of the empirical study was to compare expert assessments of friendliness with the characteristics of friendly and unfriendly residential environments as described by young families. The alignment of key friendliness characteristics allowed the conclusion that the concept is adequate. It was established that the friendliness of the residential environment is a comprehensive and systemic indicator of the residential environment (its physical and sociocultural dimensions), encompassing the properties (characteristics) of the environment and, simultaneously, its meaning for individuals. Within a systemic‐activity approach, the author views the young family and the residential environment as a complex, open, and potentially self‐developing system, with the young family itself as an active element. The residential environment is complex and includes both physical and social spaces. As a result of the research, the concept of residential environment friendliness for young families with children was refined. Friendliness is defined as a set of conditions that promote family activity, development, and the fulfillment of its basic functions. The introduction and specification of the concept of residential environment friendliness for young families with young children have practical implications for the design of residential environments and the organization of interactions among all their agents.