The Components of Preferential Attributes of Residents in the Meaning Structure and Means-End Studies

The current research aims to identify the housing attributes and the components of each one of these attributes based on the stated preferences of the housing in the meaning structure and means-end methods. Since the attributes are the basis of most of the analytical methods and techniques of the housing preferences, therefore, it will not be possible to achieve the latent meanings and values in the preferences of the residents without recognizing them to provide high-quality housing. To achieve this purpose, first, a list of the studies conducted on the housing preferences, the research method of which had been the meaning structure, and the means-end chain was provided using the systematic review and purposive sampling method. The qualitative information was analyzed using the descriptive method, and then, using the content analysis method, the inferential analysis was explained, providing the purpose-content tables. The presented theoretical approach in the current study provided this opportunity to consider three constituent levels of the conceptual models of the meaning structure (attribute, manifest function- latent function), and means-end chain (attribute-consequence-value) as the attributes of housing in various people. The results showed that the main constituent housing attributes could be divided into seven main groups, including meanings and values, behavior settings system, constituent components and elements of space, physical attributes, function, quality, and affordance. Based on the implemented analysis, the physical characteristics (23.2%), constituent components and elements of space (16.2%), behavior settings system (16.2%), meanings and values (14.1%), quality (12.1%), affordance (10.1%), and function (8.1%), had the maximum and minimum frequencies among the housing attributes, respectively, indicating the relative attraction and importance of most of these attributes for the residents, based on their stated preferences (respondents in the selected studies).