Perceiving Environmental Quality: Research and Applications

The purpose of this publication is to report on a series of research workshops which examined the place of environmental perception in a comprehensive system of indices for assessing and monitoring trends in environmental quality. The specific objectives of the workshops were to: (1) define the state-of-the-art in research on perception of environmental quality and identify salient conceptual and methodological issues; (2) delineate potential uses of perceived environmental quality indices (PEQIs) and related issues regarding ways in which PEQIs might enhance implementation, revision, or refinement of policy orientations; (3) identify the types of research which would assess adequately the efficacy of the development and the application of PEQIs; and (4) out­ line a realistic, pragmatic research strategy that relates to potential uses and identified policy issues. The workshops were supported by 'a grant from the National Science Foundation, No. GSOC75-0782, and were held during the spring and summer of 1975 in Amherst, Massachusetts, and New York City. Contributed chapters for this volume were commissioned with funds from the Institute for Man and Environment, University of Massachusetts. Scientific contributors to the understanding of environmental per­ ception have increased substantially over the last decade, along with recognition that this realm of knowledge is crucial for an informed perspective on-the impact of man on the environment. At the same time, there exists general consensus that the field remains diffuse and uncoor­ dinated (Lowenthal, 1972b).