The psychological impacts of urban development on urban poverty : a case-study of Pharam 3 Community in Bangkok

Abstract

This paper advocates for increased collaboration between urban psychologists and development practitioners who work with low-income people to enhance the understanding of the political economy of urban poverty when developing poverty alleviation programs. Drawing on the “the psychology of poverty” and the “theory of socio-economic development”, this paper investigates the narratives of 17 low-income women in the Pharam 3 community. Their experiences and psychological impact as participants of a slum-upgrading project and their life as an urban poor individual in Bangkok were collected using in-depth interviews. Each interview were transcribed, reviewed and coded according to units of meaning that is related to the phenomenon that is being investigated. The findings indicated that despite the success of the slum upgrading project in empowering the people within this community, it is evident that societal pressures from the individual’s life settings can influence decision making processes. Therefore the “psychology of poverty” can be an underlying factor that can lead to unsustainable decision-making which can impact the sustainability of poverty alleviation programs.