For me, I thought chapter 12 was more of a "duh" chapter. I didn't really feel like I gathered a whole lot of new info from this chapter, and I felt like a lot of it was self explanatory. When Sampson's data suggests that people are influenced to move based on the disorder and violence around them, I just though to myself "well, duh." What I did find interesting was the influence that the African American population has on a community. In chapter 12, Sampson states the following:
The large effect of increases in percentage black on moving out was restricted to whites and Latinos however, a modern day form of white but also Latino flight. Blacks did not move in response to changes in the percent black (or Latino), a clear indicator that racial composition of the neighborhood is less important for blacks than for other groups, an interpretation consistent with research showing that blacks are the group most willing to live in integrated communities (Sampson, 2012).
This quote really spoke to me. I was fairly surprised to that race is still such a significant factor in the development of communities. It's sad to realize that even though black's might be willing to live in integrated communities, the majority of Latinos and whites are not yet willing to do so. This no doubt has a negative impact on the collective efficacy within a community. In biology you learn that diversity is a sign of strength throughout nature. Diversity allows organisms to survive and better thrive under their given conditions. Organisms that are more exclusive tend to suffer and even become extinct in the long run.
When it comes to humans, I suppose the issues become more complex. As discussed in chapter 6, perceived disorder increases with increased ratios of blacks or immigrants within a neighborhood. Sampson's research revealed that blacks and immigrants also perceive higher levels of disorder in neighborhoods that have more immigrants or black individuals. Taking this into consideration, the reason why people chose to move to different neighborhoods becomes a little more clear. From a biological perspective, we know that survival is one of the fundamental goals for a species. Therefore, it makes sense that most humans will select neighborhoods where there is less perceived disorder. People (like other animals) tend to move to areas where they can reap the highest amount of benefit for themselves and their families. Those benefits might include security, financial stability, educational resources, etc.
We all feel strongly about our independence and the ability we have to make individual choices. However, according to Sampson in chapter 12, this idea of individual choice is more or less an illusion in relation to the bigger picture of community. Sampson argues that an individual's choices don't really have much sway towards the shaping of a neighborhood. This is the reason why most neighborhoods are able to hold on to their defining characteristics, regardless of who moves in or out of the area. It's still difficult for me to completely understand the reasons behind this, because I feel like the reactions of individuals within a community are personal decisions that in fact do influence and transform the communities they leave or enter.
