An Exploration of Relationships Among the Responses to Natural Scenes: Scenic Beauty, Preference, and Restoration

This study argues that although scenic beauty, preference, and restoration are correlated due to their functional significance over evolution, they still can be distinguished from one another within natural landscapes. A total of 274 undergraduate students reported their responses with scenic beauty...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environment and behavior 2010-03, Vol.42 (2), p.243-270
Main Author: Han, Ke-Tsung
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Beauty
College students
Environment
Environmental restoration
Landscape
Landscape architecture
Landscapes
Mental stress
Natural landscapes
Openness
Perception
Preferences
Statistical analysis
Studies
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Summary:This study argues that although scenic beauty, preference, and restoration are correlated due to their functional significance over evolution, they still can be distinguished from one another within natural landscapes. A total of 274 undergraduate students reported their responses with scenic beauty, preference, and restoration as the target variables while viewing 48 landscape slides of six biomes. In addition, a group of three judges evaluated three physical features presented in the landscape slides as controlling and descriptor variables, described as “complexity,” “openness,” and “water features.” Statistical analyses showed that (a) the three target variables were all significantly and highly (rs > 0.94, p < 0.05) correlated; (b) the only mediated relationship among the target variables was preference mediating scenic beauty and restoration; and (c) scenic beauty and preference versus restoration could be distinguished from each other with respect to the types of natural landscapes and the three physical features.
ISSN:0013-9165
1552-390X
DOI:10.1177/0013916509333875