Exploring the motivations, satisfactions, and well-being of agricultural intentional community residents

Abstract

Intentional communities have long provided an alternative living solution for those wanting to live with a group of others who share their values. Intentional community residents throughout the U.S. were surveyed to discover their intrinsic satis­factions and motivations, and community features they envision in their futures, as well as to investi­gate their psychological well-being and if they experience or search for personal meaning. Of the 204 U.S. communities identified with a gardening or agricultural focus, 83 agreed to be surveyed, gar­nering 259 responses. It was found that engage­ment in local food systems elicits intrinsic satisfac­tion in the areas of community food (such as growing and sharing food with neighbors) and participation (such as contributing to a larger goal or purpose). However, local food system engagement does not strongly increase psychological well-being, suggest­ing that those living in agricultural communities may have their well-being supported in other life­style areas. Recommendations for communication and recruitment are then addressed: it is important to emphasize communitarian and social values when advertising intentional communities to inter­ested parties. Secondary values, such as environ­mentalism, and the intrinsic satisfaction associated with participation can also be successfully used in communication, especially when paired with future-oriented envisioning of their communities.