Showing papers in "Environment and Behavior in 1998"

Social Structural and Social Psychological Bases of Environmental Concern

Abstract: Efforts to explain environmental concern as a function of social structure have revealed some weak but reliable associations. Stronger associations have been found between environmental concern and...

Social Ties, Environmental Perception, And Local Attachment

Abstract: This article investigates the determinants of place attachment. The community of limited liability argues that local attachment is the result of local relationships neighbors develop through time. The liberated community argues that only a minority of individual social ties are local. Therefore, people will not experience attachment. The authors argue that local attachment might result from a positive perception of the neighborhood environment. Using a randomly selected sample from one large city in Israel, the differential contributions of these models to the understanding of local attachment are investigated. The results show that attachment to place is expressed by a majority of urban residents. The higher the number of close friends and neighbors that are known and live nearby, the higher the attachment to the neighborhood. Perceptions of the local environment have a direct and independent effect on neighborhood attachment. Implications for the understanding of place attachment are discussed.

Transforming Inner-City Landscapes Trees, Sense of Safety, and Preference

Abstract: How would inner-city residents respond to the incorporation of trees and grass in their neighborhoods? Law enforcement officials have argued that, in these settings, trees and other forms of vegeta...

Green Common Spaces and the Social Integration of Inner-City Older Adults

Abstract: For older adults, social integration and the strength of social ties are profoundly important predictors of well-being and longevity. Can the physical environment be designed to promote older adult...

Windows in the Workplace: Sunlight, View, and Occupational Stress

Abstract: This article investigates the direct and indirect effects of windows in the workplace onjob satisfaction, intention to quit, and general well-being. The impact of three specific influencing mechanisms are examined: general level of illumination, sunlight penetration, and view. The extent to which these environmental features might moderate the negative consequences of job stress is investigated. The sample consisted of 100 white-and blue-collar workers who were employed in a large wine-producing organization in the Mediterranean region of Southern Europe. The results showed a significant direct effect for sunlight penetration on job satisfaction, intention to quit, and general well-being. A view of natural elements (i.e., trees, vegetation, plants, and foliage) was found to buffer the negative impact of job stress on intention to quit and to have a similar, albeit marginal, effect on general well-being. No effects for general level of illumination were found.

Growing up in the inner city: Green spaces as places to grow

Abstract: Children growing up in the inner city are at risk for a range of negative developmental outcomes. Do barren, inner-city neighborhood spaces compromise the everyday activities and experiences necessary for healthy development? Sixty-four urban public housing outdoor spaces (27 low vegetation, 37 high vegetation) were observed on four separate occasions. Overall, inner-city children's everyday activities and access to adults appeared remarkably healthy; of the 262 children observed, most (73%) were involved in some type of play, and most groups of children (87%) were supervised to some degree. In relatively barren spaces, however, the picture was considerably less optimistic: Levels of play and access to adults were approximately half as much as those found in spaces with more trees and grass, and the incidence of creative play was significantly lower in barren spaces than in relatively green spaces.

The New Environmental Paradigm and Personal Norms

Abstract: Using data from nationwide representative samples from Sweden and from Sweden's largest environmental organization, proenvironmental behavior is interpreted in the light of Schwartz's norm activati...

Plants in the Workplace: The Effects of Plant Density on Productivity, Attitudes, and Perceptions

Abstract: This experiment measures the effects of indoor plants on participants' productivity, attitude toward the workplace, and overall mood in the office environment. In an office randomly altered to include no plants, a moderate number of plants, and a high number of plants, paid participants (N = 81) performed timed productivity tasks and completed a survey questionnaire. Surprisingly, the results of the productivity task showed an inverse linear relationship to the number of plants in the office, but self-reported perceptions of performance increased relative to the number of plants in the office. Consistent with expectations, participants reported higher levels of mood, perceived office attractiveness, and (in some cases) perceived comfort when plants were present than when they were not present. Decreased productivity scores are linked to the influence of positive and negative affect on decision making and cognitive processing.

Toward a Model of Environmental Activism

Abstract: The goals of this study were, first, to operationalize the notion of activisrm by using self-reported behaviors and, second, to propose and test a model of environmental activism. The results show that the Activism Scale is an acceptable measure of environmental activism. Furthermore, the proposed motivational model of environmental activism was supported by a path analysis of the data. Within the model, individuals' levels of autonomous motivation predicted the perceived responsibility of different organizations to prevent health risks, the amount of information people obtain from various sources, and the perceived importance of problems in the environment. In turn, those latter variables predicted the perception of environmental health risks. Finally, the perception of environmental health risks predicted environmental activism. The model demonstrates the importance of autonomous motivation in the prediction of environmental activists' behaviors and the central role perceived ecological risks play in th...

The association of forest recreation with environmentalism

Abstract: Associations of forest recreation with environmental concern and proenvironmental behavior are explored using telephone survey data from samples of forest landowners and nonowners in Pennsylvania. Frequency of visits to forest areas and forest recreation activities are moderately associated with proenvironmental behavior but only weakly associated with environmental concern.

Evaluating the Influence of Fear of Crime as an Environmental Mobility Restrictor on Women's Routine Activities:

Abstract: Although fear of crime is a topic that has received considerable research interest, less attention has been paid to the behavioral consequences of fear. Conducting secondary data analysis on a nati...

A note on environmental concern in a developing country : results from an istanbul survey

Abstract: A survey conducted in Istanbul (1995) provided data on residents' opinions about ideas contained in the New Environmental Paradigm (NEP) Scale. The NEP scale was commonly accepted by Istanbul respondents, with the result adding to the evidence that considerable environmental concern exists in developing countries. Although some of the demographic parameters were related to the NEP scale, the patterns in the data did not point to any particular demographic group exhibiting higher environmental concern than others. Spatial perception of the environment and environmental problems, however, was linked to environmental concern. The respondents who identified the environment and related problems with a more spacious geographical frame were more concerned about the environment. Also, environmental knowledge of the respondents correlated positively with their environmental concern; the relation was the most conspicuous for ecological knowledge and nearly negligible for knowledge about local environmental problems.

Effects of Office Lighting on Mood and Cognitive Performance And A Gender Effect in Work-xRelated Judgment:

Abstract: The study presents an investigation of the effects of the recommended office lighting on subjects' mood and cognitive performance in the physical setting of an office. In addition, a gender effect ...

The Role of Mystery in Perceived Danger and Environmental Preference

Abstract: Mystery has been implicated as a positive contributor to both environmental preference and perceived danger/fear. We explored the relationships among mystery, danger, and preference as well as between them and two physical features of settings, openness and pathway curvature, in urban alleys and field/forest settings containing pathways. The major finding was that mystery was a positive predictor of both danger and preference even though the latter two variables were negatively related. Mystery, in turn, was positively related to pathway curvature and negatively related to openness. Setting category (alleys versus field/forest) was also a significant predictor of both danger (greater for alleys) and preference (greater for field/forest settings). Free-response data indicated that danger was a more common reaction than mystery for alleys, but the reverse was true for field/forest settings. The results highlight the paradoxical role that variables such as mystery can play in contributing to affective respon...

Solid-Waste Recycling Behavior and Support for Curbside Textile Recycling

Abstract: This study examines determinants of residents' support for a curbside textile-recycling policy in southern Nevada. Based on the existing solid-waste recycling behavior literature and 817 responses ...

The Activation of Environmental Norms Extending Schwartz's Model

Abstract: This article considers how Schwartz's norm-activation model has been applied in the context of individual contributions to public goods, and how it might be extended to better reflect the full gamu...

Exogenous Factors and Visitor Behavior: A Regression Analysis of Exhibit Viewing Time

Abstract: This study provides quantitative conclusions regarding the impact of specific exogenous factors on exhibit viewing time in zoological parks and discusses implications for exhibit design. Three feat...

Greener still : an empirical examination of eckersley's ecocentric approach

Abstract: Perspectives on green political thought distinguish between anthropocentrism and environmentalism on one hand, and ecocentrism and ecology on the other. Green theorists argue for a difference in ki...

Type of Commute, Behavioral Aftereffects, and Cardiovascular Activity A Field Experiment

Abstract: It was hypothesized that commuting would elevate blood pressure and lower frustration tolerance This hypothesis was tested by assessing postcommute behavior of 168 paid volunteers in a true experi

Designing effective instructional signs with schema theory : case studies of polystyrene recycling

Abstract: Two studies supported the hypothesis that signs designed to create a new polystyrene schema would be more effective than signs that did not address patrons' existing schemata. Schema-sensitive signs would (a) clearly define different types of polystyrene, (b) teach how clean polystyrene needed to be, and (c) keep contaminants out of the recycling bin. Study 1 showed a substantial increase in volume (from .25 to 3.5 bins recycled per day) and cleanliness (from major contamination to none), as well as corresponding increases in cafeteria patrons' knowledge about polystyrene recycling. Study 2 replicated the behavioral effects. Relative to the baseline, with schema-sensitive signs in place, weight increased by 87% and cleanliness scores improved by 43%. Although recycling quantity and quality improved during additional interventions, they were not significantly higher than levels achieved with only the schema-sensitive signs. Discussion suggested using schemasensitive interventions that are embedded in the t...

Models of Preference for Outdoor Scenes Some Experimental Evidence

Abstract: Predictions derived from three models of the relations between cognitive processing of and preference responses to outdoor scenes were examined. Twelve scene types were identified, ranging from the inner city to large-scale natural environments found in the Sydney region of Australia, the Padua region of northern Italy, and the Netherlands. In two experiments, participants from the three locations made preference, familiarity, and typicality judgments of all examples of each scene type, with the participants from Sydney and Padua making judgments of the stimuli from both locations while the Dutch participants judged the stimuli froll all three locations. The results of the experiments were most consistent with a preference-for-differences model, with only limited evidence for a preference-for-prototypes model. The largest effect on preference was related to scene type, an effect that is difficult to explain using either of the models of preference. It is argued that this presents a significant problem if ...

Windows and environmental cues on performance and mood

Abstract: Task type and the presence of windows and posters were manipulated to examine their effects on individuals' performance, mood, and perceptions. Male and female undergraduates worked either a filing, computational, or creative task in a windowed or windowless room, with or without a poster (i.e., task-relevant cues). As predicted, the presence of windows did not affect performance. Window presence increased perceptions that the room was motivating and the likelihood that one looked about the room for help with the computational task. Unexpectedly, the number of errors on the computational task was reduced when the task-relevant poster was present. Poster presence also increased positive mood and decreased fatigue perceptions for individuals performing the creative task. Overall, poster presence increased confidence. Because perceptions of task demand were related to several outcome variables, the stimulation from windows and posters appears to interact with the task demand.

The Influence of Museum Exhibit Design on Immersion and Psychological Flow

Abstract: Two studies were designed to investigate the role of immersing design techniques in determining museum visitors' experience. Study 1 observed visitor behavior in a museum hall at the Denver Museum of Natural History (DMNH) in Denver, Colorado, before and after renovation. The study found that after the design changes, visitors attended more to the exhibits. Study 2, a post hoc survey analysis complementing Study 1, discriminated which particular design features were responsible for eliciting a high degree of sensory contact from visitors. The survey was administered to visitors at the DMNH after they had been exposed to a specific exhibit space. The survey measured visitors' sense of immersion, psychological flow, and the perceived presence and strength of different design features. Analyses revealed that interactive components, multisensory stimulation, and dynamic displays influenced flow and immersion. Results are discussed in terms of exhibit attributes that optimize the visitor experience.

The Affective Structure of Consumer Situations

Abstract: Mehrabian and Russell argue that approach-avoidance behaviors in physical and social environments are determined by pleasure, arousal, and dominance. However, consumer research has not provided con...

Neighbors, Households, and Front Porches: New Urbanist Community Tool or Mere Nostalgia?

Abstract: New Urbanists believe that front porches, along with narrow streets, back-alley garages, shallow setbacks, and street trees, may promote small town neighborliness of the 1920s. Critics dismiss such...

Age and Gender-Related Differences in Strategy Use for Route Information: A "Map-Present" Direction-Giving Paradigm

Abstract: Adults, ranging in age from 20 to 78 years, were required to give directions to a hypothetical stranger while looking at a map. The direction giving was scored according to the strategies employed by the direction giver (e.g., landmarks, relational turns, road names, and cardinality). The "map present" direction-giving paradigm was employed to reduce the influence of memory. The results suggest that the aging decline in spatial abilities does not influence direction-giving strategies when memory demands are minimal. Older adults are as proficient as young adults when employing direction-giving strategies. Middle-age females employed a significantly higher frequency of strategies relative to young males, young females, middle-age males, and older females. When accuracy was examined, gender-related differences favoring males were obtained for the relational strategy.

Controversial facility siting in the urban environment : resident and planner perceptions in the united states

Abstract: Conflict over facility siting has become increasingly common across facility types and neighborhoods throughout the United States. This article posits that the conflict about facility siting stems ...

Children's use of the street as a playground in abu-nuseir, jordan

Abstract: This article reviews the children’s use of the streets in Abu-Nuseir, a residential community in Jordan. The street functions as an agent of socialization. It provides a setting that is conducive to childhood development and to various types of play that enable that development. It affects the personality, character, and ability of a child. The importance of street play lies in the central role that play occupies in the physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development of a child. The spatial and temporal relationship between children and the street as affected by the accommodative forces of the street environment is explained, stressing that the physical environment of the street is an operative factor in human systems and that it is a significant factor in the development and maintenance of a child’s self-identity. Urban streets in residential communities should be designed to provide a balance between the needs of children and the needs of motor vehicles. What is required is to organize residential streets so that all can use the available space effectively. The main task that faces town managers in Jordan and in other Third World countries today is to elevate the street in the residential neighborhood from a mere traffic channel to a social institution for children. © COPYRIGHT 1998 Sage Publications, Inc. In urban societies, the family and the street are important agents in the education and socialization of children; however, as a result of the reduced extended family in the urban setting, children can find their social experience quite limited. Children who live in cities have to rely on their parents’ willingness to allow them to visit nearby outdoor play areas. In Third World countries, the most attractive place for play is the street. Limited finances prevent many parents from providing children with other means of socialization. Residents of urban neighborhoods, particularly children, come to the street with various expectations, lifestyles, and activities. When people encounter the street environment they perceive intrusions or benefits, and their resulting satisfaction or annoyance is affected by the street design. Because they are in the position of organizing some of the elements that make up the street environment and its eventual quality, designers play a critical role in the development of children’s street experiences. Street play is a universal cultural phenomenon (Appleyard, 1981; Bedarida & Sutcliffe, 1980; Moore and Young, 1978; Ward, 1978; Ward & Fayson, 1973). Streets fill an especially important role in children’s loose-knit social structure by providing a locus for peer contact a few steps from home (Andrews, 1973; Bixenstine, Decorte, & Bixenstine, 1978; Devereux, 1970; Lantz, 1956; Piaget, 1970; Reid, Landesman, Treder, & Jaccard, 1989; Rubin & Ross, 1982). Streets and street corners are important meeting places and important ecological places (Carr & Lynch, 1970; Hara & Levin, 1973; Hester, 1975/1984; Levine & Michelson, 1979; Lynch, 1972, 1977; Noschis, 1994) where children meet, learn about each other and their adult neighbors, and investigate their surroundings. Designated playgrounds can add important play opportunities and attract activity, but they cannot substitute for the immediacy of the street. Streets have always been used for close-to-home play; this will surely continue in the future. The aim of this article is to learn about the nature of children’s activities in the streets of a residential community in Jordan. This study’s approach is based on the assumption that the street is the social hub of the neighborhood; it is a behavioral setting that provides the stage on which many children’s activities are performed. The research method used in this article is based on field observation, interviews, photographs, and behavioral mapping.

Effects of a Pleasant Ambient Fragrance on Simulated Driving Performance The Sweet Smell of... Safety

Abstract: Eighty undergraduates performed a simulated driving task that required them to keep a moving target within defined boundaries (compensatory tracking); they also performed this task while responding to randomly occurring visual stimuli (stop signs). They performed these tasks in the presence or absence of a pleasant fragrance and after receiving or not receiving a small gift. A significant Fragrance x Gift interaction indicated that performance on both tasks was significantly enhanced by pleasant fragrance but only when participants did not also receive a gift. A main effect of gift condition indicated that performance on both tasks was significantly reduced by receipt of a small gift. In a follow-up study, 5 minutes of exposure to a pleasant fragrance was found to produce significant increments in participants' positive affect and alertness. Results were interpreted as suggesting that in the absence of other sources of positive affect, exposure to a pleasant fragrance can enhance some aspects of driving p...

Gender Differences in Recreational Use, Environmental Attitudes, and Perceptions of Future Land Use at the Savannah River Site

Abstract: Perceptions are critical to making decisions about our environment, particularly contaminated sites. Gender differences in recreational use, attitudes toward environmental problems, and perceptions of land use for the Savannah River Site (Department of Energy) were examined in people living near the site. Bird-watching, photography, and fishing were the most common activities. Men engaged in more hunting, fishing, hiking, and camping, and women photographed more than men. There were significant gender differences in attitudes toward future land use, with women showing lower scores than men for hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, nuclear production, factories, building houses, and storage of nuclear waste. Maintaining the Savannah River Site as a National Environmental Research Park was the highest priority for both genders, whereas storing nuclear wastes and building homes ranked lowest for both. Planners should consider recreational use as an important future land use of this Department of Energy site, ta...