The space that we live in is proven to have direct effects in shaping our identities. As American urban planner Kevin Lynch states, “Every citizen has long standing associations with some part of his city and this image is soaked in memories and meanings.” We constantly create images in our minds based on what we see and feel (which is the outward effect on the inward identity). This is extremely important in having a sense of where we come from – our spatial identity.

Spatial identity can also be global identity at times, since with globalization, the world is rapidly trying to create identical spaces – as many similar variations of mall culture, for example, spring up in locations around the world. Timothy Shortell identifies that urban life in specific cities bring a sense of “glocalised” spaces where people can modify their spatial structures to be more in sync with their personal identities, something that can be done globally. He says that the “real test of community takes place during the course of everyday life in the streets, in the shops and in the public spaces of neighborhoods. Class, racial and ethnic hierarchies mark spaces with differential meanings.

”There has always been a special bond between the place we live in and the behavioral patterns we choose to emit. This is closely associated with the memories and meanings we create of the outside environment. Our perception of the environment can also have a direct influence on personal identity. If we perceive the place we live in from a positive light, it will yield positive results for us. However, some places stricken by war or extreme physical illness cannot be perceived positively and people would need a change of environment.