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Environment and Behavior Exam 1
Environment and Behavior Exam 1 at the U of Utah
97
Psychology
Undergraduate 3
02/15/2014

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Term
What is Environmental Psychology?
Definition
Studies molar relationships between behavior/experience and built/natural environment.
Term
Name 5 different data collection methods.
Definition
Self reports; archives; traces; erosion; and accretion. (behavior mapping also data collection method but not mentioned on study guide.)
Term
Define archives and give examples.
Definition
The use of collected written or other records to study behavior. examples include photo search, newspaper search.
Term
Define self reports and give examples.
Definition
Use of surveys or questionnaires to study behavior. examples would be questionnaires, interviews, and cognitive maps.
Term
Define traces and give examples.
Definition
Physical evidence of past human presence. examples include erosion and accretion.
Term
Define erosion and give examples.
Definition
trace that shows selective wear of some part of the environment. examples include floor wear in front of museum exhibits, traffic patterns in grass/snow/sand, and wear and tear on playground equipment.
Term
Define accretion and give examples.
Definition
trace that shows deposited material in a setting left by users of the setting. examples include graffiti/tagging, litter, books/jackets/etc left to mark territory, and personalization (decoration) of spaces.
Term
Define construct validity.
Definition
when a variable measures what it should.
Term
Define reliability.
Definition
when measures are consistent over time (test-retest) or observers (inter-rater).
Term
Why are multiple measures of data collection often good?
Definition
Because it indicates construct validity and reliability. "Trying to optimize."
Term
What is imageability?
Definition
How design makes a place memorable, easy to think about and get around in.
Term
What are Lynch's 5 Keys to Legible Images?
Definition
paths; edges; district; nodes; landmarks
Term
Define paths.
Definition
travel routes, like roads, walkways.
Term
define edges
Definition
not traveled, bounding an area
Term
define district
Definition
areas with distinctive identity
Term
define nodes
Definition
well known points, like intersections, destinations, like plazas
Term
define landmarks
Definition
distinctive features, used for reference points; often stand out. easy to view identifying features.
Term
How good are mental images?
Definition
research shows a lot of errors, because we are human and simplify/seek personally relevant meanings. But, we could use this to improve places.
Term
How many Cognitive mapping errors are there?
Definition
5
Term
Name the Cognitive mapping errors.
Definition
1. Superordinate category error
2. Right angle bias
3. Size distortion
4. Location and Omission
5. Shape
Term
Define the superordinate category error and give an example.
Definition
Bigger categories, like states or countries, trip us up for smaller, subordinate categories -- like cities. examples include "which is further?: west: san diego or reno? north: toronto or minneapolis?
Term
Define the right angle bias and give an example.
Definition
we impose 90 degree angles and straight lines where none exist. Example: UU library east sidewalk. (we simplify).
Term
Define size distortion and give an example.
Definition
familiar or important places drawn bigger. example: you draw your home bigger than others; draw superpower countries larger.
Term
define location and omission and give an example.
Definition
we leave things out in our maps, and insert things that don't exist. example: an engineer drew a rail line where it "should" be.
Term
define shape and give an example.
Definition
we remember unusual shapes, forget typical building types. example: the OSH building built like an "E".
Term
define forward-up equivalence.
Definition
orient so that up on map = forward in space.
Term
define differentiation
Definition
design feature that aids wayfinding by creating distinctive shapes and parts of buildings.
Term
What are 4 examples of wayfinding aids for buildings?
Definition
visibility of destinations; differentiation; simple configuration/layout; signs and numbering systems.
Term
Define nativists.
Definition

abilities inborn.

The view that perceptual processes or other phenomena come to us automatically as opposed to having to be learned through experience.

Term
define empiricists.
Definition
abilities learned.
Term
define assimilation
Definition
when you readily understand (from piaget)
Term
define accommodation
Definition
when you must develop your mind to grasp something (from piaget).
Term
what are piaget's 4 stages of development?
Definition
1. Sensorimotor
2. Preoperational
3. Concrete operations
4. Formal operations
Term
what is the sensorimotor stage and what is the age frame?
Definition
approx. 0-2 years: when one organizes senses, learns space is continuous, learns object permanence.
Term
what is the preoperational stage and what is the age frame?
Definition
approx. 2-6 or 7: starts using symbolic thinking (words, images), "conservation of matter" not great, egocentric (unable to see what another would).
Term
what is the concrete operations stage and what is the age frame?
Definition
6 or 7-11 or 12: not egocentric, logical with concrete objects, can describe traveled routes.
Term
what is the formal operations stage and what is the age frame?
Definition
12 & up: can use abstractions, North South East West directions, potential spaces considered.
Term
Were Piaget's stages accurate?
Definition
they were generally accurate, but kids often achieve faster than he said.
Term
what is biophilia?
Definition
evolution orients us to nature, not built environment. -E.O. Wilson
Term
describe Kaplan and Kaplan landscape preferences.
Definition
we prefer organization and content that appeal to information processing.
Term
what are the 4 environmental preference factors as explained by Kaplans?
Definition
Coherent
Legible
Complex
Mystery
Term
define coherent and give an example.
Definition
hangs together. example: high and low coherence. high is when the majority of the scene is higher in the picture and low coherence is when the scene takes up the whole picture, lower.
Term
define complexity and give an example.
Definition
variety in natural elements. example: high and low complexity. low is when there isn't a lot of different shapes and no variety, high is when there are a lot of different shapes and elements going on in the picture.
Term
define legible and give an example.
Definition
distinctive understandable parts, finding your way around. no example really.
Term
define mystery and give an example
Definition
invites exploration. example: partially hidden, which can be scary in urban settings.
Term
what are the two theories of how nature restores us?
Definition
biologically attuned to reduce stress with nature views (nature eases stress)- Ulrich
Cognitive need to restore directed attention (soft fascination with nature helps) -Kaplans'
Term
what are the 4 requirements for restorative places according to Kaplans'?
Definition
being away, fascination, extent/coherence, compatibility.
Term
define being away.
Definition
alternative to fatigued and overused brain structures.
Term
define fascination.
Definition
an effortless way of attending with involuntary attention.
Term
define extent/coherence.
Definition
sufficient scope to sustain interaction for a period of time without boredom.
Term
define compatibility.
Definition
fit with a person's inclinations and purposes to prevent use of mental effort.
Term
what is nature deficit disorder?
Definition
kids suffer when technology/built environment take over. nature experience is great for abilities to learn, physical/emotional health. when it is taken away, then those experiences are also taken away.
Term
What is framing?
Definition
interpretive storylines that suggests who/what did it, what it means, what to do. There is no such thing as unframed information. you use frames to make sense of the world by linking old and new information, making new information clearer.
Term
what are some examples of framing?
Definition
social progress
economic development and competitiveness
morality and ethics
scientific and technical uncertainty
Pandora's box/Frankenstein's monster/runaway science
Term
what is social progress frame?
Definition
improving quality of life or solving problems (nuclear power as: atoms for peace)
Term
what is economic development and competitiveness frame?
Definition
focus is on economic investments or progress (nuclear power as: electricity too cheap to meter).
Term
what is morality and ethics frame?
Definition
describing something as right or wrong; or as exceeding or respecting moral limits, thresholds, or boundaries.
Term
what is scientific and technical uncertainty?
Definition
describing something as settled science vs. hype or unknown. ( debate over what is known vs unknown, or peer-reviewed, confirmed knowledge vs. hype or alarmism).
Term
what is Pandora's box/Frankenstein's monster/runaway science frame?
Definition
precaution or fatalism in the face of possible catastrophes.
Term
what is the new ecological ( environmental) paradigm?
Definition
the most widely used environmental scale to tap into environmental worldviews; measures how ecocentric (earth centered) vs. anthropocentric (human centered) you view the world.
Term
what is operationalize?
Definition
when scientists translate the concept they are interested in studying to something that can be measured. the NEP scale operationalizes the concepts of environmental worldviews.
Term
what does NEP relate to?
Definition
many things: environmental concern, attitudes toward some specific environmental problems, support for environmental policies, political liberalism, higher income and urbanism, countries with less materialism and more harmony.
Term
what is privacy?
Definition
"selective control of access to the self or to one's group"; access means "keep out" AND "come in".
Term
what is dialectic process?
Definition
3 keys to describe how closedness and openness forces work. opposition, unity, and change.
Term
define opposition.
Definition
we need both opposing forces
Term
define unity
Definition
they co-exist
Term
define change
Definition
they are dynamic, changing over time.
Term
what are privacy outcomes?
Definition
crowding, where you feel too open; isolation/loneliness, where you are more closed than you want; ideal privacy= actual openness=desired openness.
Term
what is internal validity?
Definition
Does X CAUSE Y? does the independent variable X cause the dependent variable Y or is there some other, third variable that causes Y? if you can argue that X causes Y (X ->Y), internal validity is high.
Term
what is external validity?
Definition
Does X -> Y casual link GENERALIZE to other situation? Does the X->Y internally valid relationship identified in one study generalize to other people, places, times, measures?
Term
what is territoriality?
Definition
perceived ownership of a place or object by individual or group.
Term
what is defensible space?
Definition
design features that protect from crime by encouraging natural territoriality.
Term
What protects from burglary?
Definition
actual barriers (to deter outsider access); differentiate public from private space; symbolic barriers (to show resident territorial concern); good natural surveillance (detectability); put low income housing in safe areas.
Term
what do they mean by symbolic barriers work both ways?
Definition
street signs and burglaries, identity signs and non-burglary.
Term
what are traces of presence and do they protect or not?
Definition
yes they protect. garages, keeping a tidy yard and surroundings of house.
Term
what are traces of absence and do they protect or not?
Definition
no they don't protect. leaving a dirty, unkept yard, many newspapers on front porch indicating you're gone, not taking the garbage out. dogs don't help.
Term
in terms of crowding, what is density?
Definition
people per area (a physical measure).
Term
in terms of crowding, what is social density?
Definition
same space, # of people increase.
Term
in terms of crowding, what is spatial density?
Definition
same # of people, space decreases.
Term
what is crowding?
Definition
personal sense of too many people around (a psychological measure).
Term
what are 3 major processes of crowding?
Definition
behavioral constraints or goal interference from: too little space, too many people, interruptions or unwanted interaction.
personal control loss: increases stress, decreases privacy regulation ability
overload: too much stimulation or intimacy, may not be negative.
Term
what is behavioral sink?
Definition
antisocial behaviors from high density.
Term
what are negative crowding effects?
Definition
physical: arousal, illness
social: more withdrawal, less attraction to others, less helpful, more aggressive (esp. males)
work: poor task performance (esp. for complex tasks)
Term
define personal space.
Definition
our portable invisible boundary that varies across people and situations.
Term
what are Hall's 4 communication distance zones?
Definition
intimate, personal distance, social distance, and public distance.
Term
define intimate communication distance zone.
Definition
(0-1.5'); touch and many other senses (sense smell, heat, sound and see details), zone used for intense communication (love, arguments).
Term
define personal distance communication distance zone.
Definition
(1.5-4'); visual and verbal communication dominate, touch (good friends- near phase, no touch- acquaintances, far phase).
Term
define social distance communication distance zone.
Definition
(4-12'); vision loses detail, voice still normal. for business dealings, strangers (office desk distance, communication becomes formal).
Term
define public distance communication distance zone.
Definition
(12'+); must exaggerate communication, used in formal communication.
Term
when do you choose closeness?
Definition
when attracted to others (with distance controlled by females), others are similar in personality, age, race, religion, sexual orientation, status, when angered (sometimes).
Term
when do you choose distance?
Definition
when with stigmatized others (AIDS, disabled), in stressful, negative interactions.
Term
what are contact cultures?
Definition
those preferring closer distances (Mediterranean, Arabic, Hispanic).
Term
what are noncontact cultures?
Definition
those preferring further distances (north european, caucasian U.S.).
Term
what is compensation?
Definition
when privacy is invaded, you compensate by turning away, move back, reestablish psychological or actual distance.
Term
what is reciprocity?
Definition
when privacy is invaded, you move closer or smile and look at person to show closeness is OK.
Term
in spatial arrangements, what is sociofugal?
Definition
interaction discouraging
Term
in spatial arrangements, what is sociopetal?
Definition
interaction encouraging.
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