Skip to main content

An interdisciplinary debate on project perspectives

Table 1 Findings relating to environmental preference in urban settings

From: Evidence for prospect-refuge theory: a meta-analysis of the findings of environmental preference research

Urban settings

P

R

M

C

Findings

Nasar (1988)

Survey using stimuli

O

Relatively neutral findings: both, Japanese and US students show highly correlated results for their ratings for pleasantness and interestingness. “Increases in preference for scenes were found to be related to increases in […] naturalness, absence of vehicles, and scene-order” (269). Some factors depend on cultural influence, for example, Japanese students prefer organisation and contrast

Loewen et al. (1993)

Survey using stimuli

O

O

Positive and neutral findings: light was rated as most important single variable for safety; prospect (open space) more important than refuge, and the “combination of the three features was rated as safest” (330)

Mumcu et al. (2010)

Survey in situ

Positive findings: “prospect has shown a strong and positive correlation with attractive scene […]. Refuge has had a strong correlation with sense of safety […] and a correlation with comfort” (1230). However, there was no significant relation between “the preferred areas and the areas determined for refuge, comfort and safety” (1230)

Supportive √

3

1

0

0

 

Neutral O

0

1

1

1

 

Contrary X

0

0

0

0

 
  1. supportive, O neutral, X contrary, not considered in the study, P prospect, R refuge, M mystery, C complexity