Acp 2011 osaka_environ_psy_dr_gezgin

Environmental Psychology, Urban
Planning and Economics:
Intersections, Crossroads &
Tangents
Dr. Ulas Basar Gezgin
Economics lecturer
E-mail: ulasbasar@gmail.com

• Gezgin, U. B. (2010). Environmental psychology, urban
planning and economics: Intersections, crossroads &
tangents. (Paper to be presented at ACP 2011: the
Asian Conference on Psychology and the Behavioral
Sciences 2011. 20-22 March 2011, Osaka, Japan.)
Gezgin, U. B. (2011). Environmental psychology, urban
planning and economics: Intersections, crossroads &
tangents. (Paper prepared for ACP 2011: the Asian
Conference on Psychology and the Behavioral Sciences
2011. 20-22 March 2011, Osaka, Japan.) Full text
published in ACP Conference Proceedings, pp.50-67,
ISSN: 2186-615X.
http://www.iafor.org/ACP_Proceedings_2011.pdf

7/10/2011 environ psy & urban planning- Dr.Gezgin 2

Contents
• 1. Introduction
• 2. The Possible Contributions by Environmental Psychology to Urban Planning
• 2.1. Research on Place Identity and Place Attachment
• 2.2. Research on Environmental Attitudes
• 2.3. Research on Green Attitudes vs. Behavior
• 2.4. Research on Eco-Practices
• 2.5. Research Relevant to Disaster Planning
• 2.6. Research Relevant to Elderly-Friendly Cities
• 2.7. Research Relevant to Child-Friendly Cities
• 2.8. Research on Urban Crime
• 3. Suggestions for Collaboration of Environmental Psychologists and Urban
Planners
• 4. The Possible Links Between Environmental Psychology, Urban Planning and
Economic Geography
• 5. Conclusion and Recommendations


Abstract
• Compared to urban planning and economics,
environmental psychology is a relatively recent area.
The young discipline focuses on topics such as
psychological effects of urban policies; place
attachment and place identity; perceptions of city
image and urban design; pro-environmental behavior,
transportation choices, urban navigation and
commuting issues; urban noise, recycling behavior,
energy-related behaviors, green identities; and
perceptions, attitudes and information on green issues
such climate change, global warming, sustainability,
conservation, biodiversity, and mitigation measures.


Abstract
• On the other hand, economics is involved in urban issues through the
areas of urban economics and economic geography which ask questions
such as why some cities and districts economically develop more than
their counterparts, and how to plan the cities in a way to maximize the
economic performance including quality of life. Thirdly, urban planners,
professionals that are almost as old as the emergence of cities in human
history continue to plan cities mostly without the feedback and input from
relevant areas such as environmental psychology, urban economics and
economic geography. There are some intersections, crossroads and
tangents across these areas. The influence of participatory approaches is
growing in urban planning profession although at a slow rate; and the
knowledge of both environmental psychology and urban economics are
needed in the grassroots democratization of urban planning.
• In this context, this paper focuses on the more-or-less uncharted division
of labor across the disciplines at issue, and makes suggestions for better
collaboration options.


1. Introduction
• The term ‘environmental’ in ‘environmental psychology’ has two distinct
meanings:
• 1) How human beings interact with their environment in a
spatial/cognitive sense. (Eg sense of direction and wayfinding efficiency.)
• 2) Affect, behavior and cognition about environmental and urban features
and problems.
• Another line of research which can sometimes be considered under the
former and some other times under the other; based on the topic (Eg
perceptions of architectural structures and elements;
• the uses and psychological meaning of living room at home;
• the evaluations of house façades on the basis of preference, complexity
and impressiveness;
• residential satisfaction of students.
• This paper focuses on environmental psychology in the sense of affect,
behavior and cognition about environmental and urban features and
problems.


2. The Possible Contributions by Environmental
Psychology to Urban Planning
• Place identity and place attachment;
• Environmental attitudes;
• Green attitudes vs. behavior;
• Eco-practices;
• Disaster planning;
• Elderly-friendly cities;
• Child-friendly cities;
• Urban crime etc.


2.1. Research on Place Identity and
Place Attachment
• Felonneau (2004):
• ‘Urbanophilia’ and ‘urbanophobia’
• “The degree of attraction towards or rejection
of the city”;
• The former underestimate urban incivilities
and holds a strong urban identity,
• while the latter overestimates them and holds
a weak urban identity.

Place Attachment
• Hidalgo & Hernandez (2001) compare attachment to house,
neighborhood and city physically and socially, and find that
the weakest one is attachment to neighborhood.
• Mannarini et al (2006): The relationship between image of
neighborhood and sense of community.
• Lewicka (2010): “The overall best direct predictor of place
attachment was neighborhood ties, followed by direct and
indirect effects of length of residence, building size, and
type of housing” (p.35)
• “Attachments to smaller (apartments, homes) and larger
(city) scales of place along with their unique predictors
deserve more attention from environmental psychologists”
(p.35).


Place Attachment
• A framework of place attachment in 3 dimensions
• (person-process-place):
• “The person dimension of place attachment refers to its
individually or collectively determined meanings.
• The psychological dimension includes the affective,
cognitive, and behavioral components of attachment.
• The place dimension emphasizes the place characteristics
of attachment, including spatial level, specificity, and the
prominence of social or physical elements”
• (Scannell & Gifford, 2010, p.1).
• This framework may be useful for urban planning
professionals, as the popularity of urban projects partially
depends on the ways the residents attach to the place.

2.2. Research on Environmental
Attitudes
• Karpiak & Baril (2008): The relationship between
Kohlberg’s moral reasoning model and environmental
attitudes among college students.
• Developmental level of moral reasoning is associated
positively with
• ecocentrism (defined as “belief in the intrinsic
importance of nature” (p.203)),
• and negatively with environmental apathy;
• while no relationship was observed for
anthropocentrism (defined as “belief that nature is
important because it is central to human wellbeing”
(p.203)).


Attitudes
• Boeve-de Pauw, Donche & Van Petegem (in
press): The link between adolescents’
environmental worldview and personality
• Personality does not predict environmental
worldview which can be explained by the fact
that adolescence is the formative period for
personality.
• Egocentrism and ecocentrism are considered
to be opposites by Belgian adolescents.


Attitudes
• Kortenkamp & Moore (2001):
• Ecocentrism: The belief that “nature deserves moral
consideration because nature has intrinsic value”
(p.261))
• Anthropocentrism: The belief that “nature deserves
moral consideration because how nature is treated
affects humans” (p.261)),
• and moral reasoning about ecological dilemmas;
• The conditions under which ecocentric and
anthropocentric reasoning could be elicited, such as
the presence of information about the damage to the
nature.


Attitudes
• Lima & Castro (2005):
• ‘Environmental hyperopia effect’:
• “Concern for local environmental issues was more attenuated than for
global ones, risk perception of local sources of pollution was perceived as
lower than distant threats, and global sources of information about the
environment were considered more trustworthy than local ones” (p.23).
• Lai et al (2003): “Hazards were appraised to be more threatening in the
global than the local context” (p.369).
• Uzzell (2000): “Environmental problems are perceived to be more serious
the farther away from the perceiver” (p.307), and this is associated with
feelings of powerlessness.
• Hatfield & Job (2001): “Optimism bias regarding environmental
degradation may inhibit pro-environmental behaviour” (p.17).
• These studies are important for promotion of green campaigns at city
level.


2.3. Research on Green Attitudes vs.
Behavior
• Pichert & Katsikopoulos (2008): The discrepancy between attitudes and
behaviors in the case of using green electricity vs. ‘grey’ electricity.
• Implications for energy planning in the cities.
• Ohtomo & Hirose (2007): The attitudes towards recycling and recycling
behavior (situational and attitudinal factors).
• Thogersen (2004): Consistencies and inconsistencies in ‘environmentally
responsible behavior’,
• Thogersen (2006): Norms associated with environmentally responsible
behaviors such as
• ‘buying organic milk’,
• ‘buying energy saving light bulbs’,
• ‘source-separating compostable kitchen waste’ and
• ‘using public transportation for work and shopping’
• Thogersen (2006): People apply different norms for different behaviors,
suggesting inconsistencies across different situations.


2.3. Research on Green Attitudes vs.
Behavior
• Thogersen & Olander (2003): Transfer of
‘environment-friendly consumer behavior’ from
one domain to another is not common;
• Whitmarsh (2009): A gap between prescriptions
of the policy-makers and actions taken by the
public (responses to climate change).
• Bamberg (2003): Specific cognitions relevant to
environment should be studied rather than
generic variables such as ‘environmental
concern’, as the generic variables can’t explain
and predict specific behavioral patterns.


2.4. Research on Eco-Practices
• Clayton (2007): Motivations for gardening such as appreciation for
nature, social concerns and uses etc,
• Kiesling & Manning (2010): Environmental identity predicts
ecological gardening practices.
• This finding is important, since ecological practices are necessary
for sustainable cities. To promote ecological practices,
environmental identity should be addressed by urban planners.
Planning professionals can collaborate with environmental
psychologists to build green identities in both senses; psychological
building at individual/household level, as well as material building
(construction) at community and city level.
• Mixed results about the relationship between ‘green identity’ and
‘green behavior’ (Whitmarsh & O’Neill, 2010) which indicate that
more research is necessary on this link to support urban planning
policies from a psychological point of view.


2.4. Research on Eco-Practices
• Mannetti, Pierro & Livi (2004): Recycling behavior
• Personal identity in general, and “the similarity between personal identity and
“identity of typical recyclers”” in particular is associated with the recycling
behavior.
• This finding can be used in green campaigns.
• Knussen et al (2004): The effect of past behavior of recycling, perceived habit and
perceived lack of facilities on intentions to recycle household waste,
• Swami et al (in press): Personality variables involving 3R behaviours (Reduce,
Reuse, Recycle) in household waste management.
• Castro et al (2009): Psychological variables involving recycling behavior.
• Devine-Wright & Howes (2010): A case study about the attitudes towards wind
farm projects with regard to the concept of NIMBY (‘Not In My Back Yard’).
• This research is quite valuable for alternative energy projects in cities.
• White & Gatersleben (in press): The preferences for and perceptions of ‘building-
integrated vegetation’ such as green roofs and façades.
• The results can be useful for urban planners and other planning professionals to
promote urban agriculture/horticulture models as a way to ease urban heat island
effect.


2.5. Research Relevant to Disaster
Planning
• The psychological factors associated with disaster preparedness.
• Climate change and disaster planning.
• Sundblad, Biel & Garling (2007): Risk judgments concerning climate
change.
• Nilsson, von Borgstede & Biel (2004): The effect of values and
norms on “willingness to accept climate change strategies”.
• Miceli, Sotgiu & Settani (2008): interviewed residents of an alpine
valley in Italy about disaster preparedness and perception of flood
risk.
• Caia, Ventimiglia & Maass (2010): Psychological well-being of
earthquake survivors and their attitudes towards post-earthquake
temporary housing type (dacha vs. container).
• This is useful for post-disaster planning.


2.6. Research Relevant to
Elderly-Friendly Cities
• Borst et al (2009): The street features that affect walking route choices of the elderly based
on GIS.
• Borst et al (2008): The street features that attract elderly walkers such as trees along the
route, bus and tram stops, passing through parks or the city centre, traffic volume etc.
• Foster, Giles-Corti & Knuiman (in press): The factors that make neighborhoods attractive for
pedestrians, summarized in the concept of ‘walkable streetscapes’.
• Lord, Despres & Ramadier (in press): The relationship between built environment and the
reduced daily mobility of the elderly by a qualitative and longitudinal design.
• Oswald et al (2006): developed a “four-domain model of perceived housing in very old age”
which covers “housing satisfaction, usability in the home, meaning of home, and housing-
related control beliefs” based on a sample of 1223 octogenarians living alone.
• These studies are especially useful for planning cities in rapidly ageing countries such as
Europe and Japan. As the proportion of urban elderly is increasing, more public participation
by the elderly is important for a higher quality of life for residents and for resident
satisfaction. Environmental psychology can fill this gap by offering its findings, methodology
and services for urban planners which plan elderly-friendly cities.


2.7. Research Relevant to
Child-Friendly Cities
• The papers that stand at the intersection of environmental psychology and child-friendly
urban planning are promising.
• Kytta (2004): Children’s independent mobility and child-friendly environments.
• Rissotto & Tonucci (2002): Elementary school children’s representation of home-school
itinerary and different modes of travel (alone, with an adult, on foot, by car etc).
• Francis & Lorenzo (2002) discuss various approaches to children’s participation in urban
planning.
• Sutton & Kemp (2002) present design charrette method which is defined as “an intensive,
hands-on workshop which designers and citizens collaborate to solve a community design
problem” (s.171).
• Horelli & Kaaja (2002) discuss the opportunities opened up by internet-assisted urban
planning tools for children’s participation to urban planning.
• Chawla & Heft (2002) discuss how to evaluate the level of participation of children and
adolescents.
• Morgan (2010) is another contribution to child-friendly cities debate, as it proposes a model
that explains how place attachment develops from childhood onwards. These and related
studies can be elaborated to provide inputs to child-friendly city models in urban planning.


2.8. Research on Urban Crime
• Ceccato (2005): Homicide patterns in Sao Paulo
• Peak times of homicide are when the people have free times
(vacations, evenings and weekends).
• This finding has implications in crime prevention and activity
planning as part of urban planning whereby the residents can be
introduced to leisure activities such as sports in their free times.
• Brown, Perkins & Brown (2004): The block and individual effects on
incivilities, place attachment and crime which identify the
properties of neighborhoods associated with crime.
• These papers differ from research on crime in different areas such
as social psychology, sociology etc by the fact that their focus is
exclusively spatial. The research in other areas is not necessarily
spatial. This is one of the distinguishing features of the studies
relevant to urban planning.


3. Suggestions for Collaboration of
Environmental Psychologists and Urban Planners
• Robin, Matheau-Police & Couty (2007) develop a scale of perceived
environmental annoyances in urban settings which can be used as a
screening tool by planning professionals at city and district levels.
• The statistical analysis revealed 7 principal dimensions:
• “Feelings of insecurity,
• inconveniences associated with using public transport,
• environmental annoyances and concerns for global ecology,
• lack of control over time related to using cars,
• incivilities associated with the sharing of public spaces between different
users,
• lack of efficiency resulting from the density of the population, and
• an insecure and run-down living environment” (p.55).
• Gatersleben et al (2007) study expectations for and perceptions on a new
underground line in 5 areas in London. It is useful, as it gives clues about
bottom-up views on the project.


Differences Between Urban Pre-Implementation
Research vs. Relevant Psychological Research
Urban Pre-Implementation Research Relevant Psychological Research

Mainly qualitative Mostly quantitative

Spatial (involves maps) Rarely spatial

Data-driven Theory-driven

Practical Theoretical

Descriptive and prescriptive Descriptive

Knowledge is the by-product. Knowledge is the main product.

Process is important. Results are important.

Not experimental. Sometimes experimental.


Intersection of Environmental
Psychology and Public Participation
• Unlike the clear-cut distinctions above, there are some
intersecting studies:
• Wells (2005): Investigates ‘low-income women’s
participatory housing experiences’ in partnership with self-
help housing organization, and the sense of ‘self
confidence, optimism, and determination’ etc, based on a
combination of quantitative and qualitative methodologies.
• Lima (2004): investigates risk perception and mental health
of residents living near a waste incinerator plant.
• Although this line of intersecting research is promising, it is
still rare.


Neglected Lines of Research in
Environmental Psychology
• The psychology of intentional communities (planned communities).
• Kirby (2003) which is a case study on the ecovillage at Ithaca (USA) is a valuable
exception.
• The variables associated with environmental activism.
• McFarlane & Boxall (2003) is an exception.
• Considering the sustainability and the debate against oil-dependent cities, more
research is necessary on urban transportation choices. Although they have no
such agenda,
• Evans & Wener (2007) study some of the factors that affect passenger satisfaction
in urban trains; and
• Antonson et al (2009) investigate the effects of landscape type (open, forested,
and varied) on driving behavior by a driving simulator, and discuss the implications
of the findings for traffic safety.
• Such studies should adopt sustainable transport frameworks to collaborate with
urban planners; albeit that they still have implications for urban transportation
planning (and train design in the case of Evans & Wener (2007)) even without the
greening of their research agenda.


What Can Environmental Psychologists Do for Collaboration
with Urban Planners?

• EPs need to reframe their studies to collaborate with
planning professionals, as some of EP research are
parochial and inward-looking.
• The brilliant models and findings are of no use if they
can’t be utilized to raise urban quality of life.
• As a limitation of this paper, we can state that this
paper can’t be comprehensive enough to cover all or
most of the EP research relevant to urban planning in
such a limited space. However, it may still be stated
that it provides an overview of the relevant research
and makes suggestions for collaboration that may be
useful for both professions.


4. The Possible Links Between Environmental
Psychology, Urban Planning and Economic Geography

• Mackinnon & Cumbers (2007) present 4
approaches in economic geography:
• Traditional approach,
• Spatial analysis approach,
• Political economy approach, and
• Institutional/cultural approach.


The Traditional Approach
• Based on the philosophy of empiricism, classical German
geography, anthropology and biology.
• Conceives economy as “*c+losely integrated with the natural
resources and culture of the areas” (Mackinnon & Cumbers, 2007,
p.23).
• Its geographical orientation is “*c+ommercial geography stressed
global trading system” and “regional geography highlighting unique
places (regions)”
• Its geographical focus is “colonial territories, distinctive regions,
mainly in Europe and North America, often rural and geographically
marginal” (Mackinnon & Cumbers, 2007, p.23).
• Its key research topics are “*e+ffects of the natural environment on
production and trade; identifying distinctive regional economies”
• Its research methods are “*d+irect observation and fieldwork”
(Mackinnon & Cumbers, 2007, p.23).


The Spatial Analysis Approach
• Based on the philosophy of positivism and neoclassical economics.
• Conceives economy as “*d+riven by rational choices of individual
actors” (Mackinnon & Cumbers, 2007, p.23).
• Its geographical orientation is “*w+ider forms of spatial
organization”
• Its geographical focus is “*u+rban regions in North America, Britain
and Germany” (Mackinnon & Cumbers, 2007, p.23).
• Its key research topics are “*i+ndustrial location; urban settlement
systems; spatial diffusion of technologies; and land use patterns”,
• Its research methods are “*q+uantitative analysis based on survey
results and secondary data” (Mackinnon & Cumbers, 2007, p.23).


The Political Economy Approach
• Based on the philosophy of dialectical materialism, Marxist economics,
sociology and history.
• Conceives economy as “*s+tructured by social relations of production,
*d+riven by search for profit and competition” (Mackinnon & Cumbers,
2007, p.23).
• Its geographical orientation is “*w+ider processes of capitalist
development; and *p+laces as passive ‘victims’ of these wider processes”
• Its geographical focus is “*m+ajor cities in industrial regions in Europe and
North America; and [c]ities and regions in developing countries, especially
Latin America ” (Mackinnon & Cumbers, 2007, p.23).
• Its key research topics are “*u+rbanization processes; industrial
restructuring in developed countries; global inequalities and
underdevelopment”
• Its research methods are “*r+einterpretation of secondary data according
to Marxist categories; and *i+nterviews” (Mackinnon & Cumbers, 2007,
p.23).


The Institutional/Cultural Approach
• Based on the philosophy of postmodernism and institutionalism, cultural
studies, institutional economics, and economic sociology.
• Builds its understanding on the “*i+mportance of social context” and on
the assertion that “*i+nformal conventions and norms shape economic
action” (Mackinnon & Cumbers, 2007, p.23).
• Its geographical orientation is based on an “*e+mphasis on individual
places in context of globalization”
• Its geographical focus is “*g+rowth regions in developed countries; *g+lobal
financial centres; and *k+ey sites of consumption” (Mackinnon & Cumbers,
2007, p.23).
• Its key research topics are “*s+ocial and institutional foundations of
economic development; consumption; work identities; financial services;
and corporate cultures”
• Its research methods are “*i+nterviews, focus groups, textual analysis,
ethnography, and participant observation”
• (Mackinnon & Cumbers, 2007, p.23).


Rooms for EPs especially
in the 3rd and 4th Approaches
• EP can study the psychological variables concerning profit and competition motives of companies.
• Can be narrowed down to greening of these companies, and the motivations of green companies in
the areas of green production, green supply chains, pollution mitigation, gardening materials etc.
• The possible clash of green companies in case of profit maximization vs. ecocentrism.
• How urbanization and suburbanization and accompanying problems such as densification vs.
sprawl, formal vs. informal housing etc can affect mental health and related psychological variables.
• The psychological effects of industrial restructuring, whereby industrial labor in high-income
countries are losing their jobs, as industries are moving to cheap labor paradises such as China and
Vietnam.
• Can be widened to cover psychological problems of workers in ‘cheap labor paradises’ (or ‘cheap
labor hells’ depending on your position in relations of production).
• The psychological effects of global inequalities and underdevelopment.
• May include media effects which reduce the feelings of frustration in some cases and precipitate
them in other cases.
• Seventh topic may be reframing of environmental psychology findings from a Marxist point of view.
This view is totally lacking in environmental psychology.


Rooms for EPs especially
in the 4th Approach
• EPs can study cultural issues affecting global economies such as ethnic
production, consumption, and marketing, Chinatowns, ‘Little Indias’, ‘Little
Saigons’ etc.
• Informal networks can be more visible by a psychological point of view.
• Green finance. For example, EPs can study psychological determinants of
investor decisions for carbon trade.
• As institutional/cultural approach also focuses on identity issues, there are
immense areas of collaboration for EPs.
• Corporate cultures which is obviously a topic of interest for EPs, especially
in the case of their ‘greening’ decisions.
• On the other hand, to collaborate with the institutional/cultural approach,
EPs should be more positive about qualitative methodology.
• Of course, these topics can be studied by economic psychologists, given
that economic psychology has an older tradition; however, economic
psychologists are not spatial in their outlook.


5. Conclusion and Recommendations
• In this paper, we focused on the intersections among
the areas of environmental psychology, urban planning
and economic geography.
• As these areas are very large, this paper in no way
provides a comprehensive overview of these three.
• However, the real intention behind this paper has been
making some suggestions for future collaboration.
• In that sense, as the intersecting research papers will
increase in numbers, this paper will fulfill its mission.
• The paper concludes with some recommendations for
collaboration:

5. Conclusion and Recommendations
• - EPs should be GIS-literate or Google-Earth- literate. This is a prerequisite for a
spatial understanding of urban and environmental problems and issues.
• - Environmental psychologists should be more practice-oriented.
• - Urban planners should include psychologists in their teams to receive inputs
on topics such as place identity and place attachment; environmental
attitudes; green attitudes vs. behavior; eco-practices; disaster planning;
elderly-friendly cities; child friendly cities; urban crime etc.
• - Economic geographers of political economy approach and of
institutional/cultural approach can collaborate with EPs to investigate topics
such as psychological variables associated with profit and competition
motives, urbanization, culture, identity, consumption etc.
• - As public participation approaches are getting more and more common in
urban planning practice; environmental psychologists and economic
geographers can be part of urban planning teams, as their views, data and
methodologies will be valuable for grassroots democratization of urban
planning.


Acp 2011 osaka_environ_psy_dr_gezgin

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