Trends in Environmental Psychology: A comparison between JEP and E&B

Iaps 18 - Vienna, July 2004

Trends in Environmental Psychology: A comparison

between JEP and E&B

M. V.Giuliani, C. Plaino & A. M. D’AmicoISTC-CNR – Roma, Italy


Main questions

• Have theoretical paradigms and methodologies of EP changed over time?

• Has the main focus of interest of EP changed over time?

• Do JEP and E&B show different trends?


Environment & Behavior


Environment & Behavior: Editorial programme

• 1. Theoretical work on the interrelationships between human environments and behavioral systems. Methodological papers will be considered provided the primary focus concerns the environment-behavior relationship;

• 2. Reports on research relating to evaluation of environments designed to accomplish specific objectives e.g., the social effects of different kinds of living accommodations or the effectiveness of hospital treatment areas;

• 3. Studies relating to the beliefs, meanings, values, and attitudes of individuals or groups concerning various environments e.g., the meanings and values attached to neighbourhoods, cities, transport routes and devices, or recreational areas;

• 4. Studies concerning physical environments whose human mission is largely implicit or socially underdeveloped;

• 5. Studies of planning, policy, or political action aimed at controlling environments or behavior.


Environment & Behavior

• Founded in 1969 (2 issues) • Published quarterly from 1970 to 1980;

6 issues per year from 1981• Last issue: vol. 34 n. 6 (2002)• Total articles:1041


Journal of Environmental Psychology


Journal of Environmental Psychology:

Editorial programmeThe Journal of Environmental Psychology publishes original empirical and conceptual articles which advance understanding of the relationships between people and their physical surroundings. It covers theoretical, methodological and practical aspects of that understanding and seeks to foster the scientific development of this interdisciplinary field. The physical surroundings are taken to include the built and man-made environment as well as the natural environment. The objective of the Journal is to publish papers of a high academic standard which have the potential for increasing human wellbeing.


Journal of Environmental Psychology

• Founded in 1981• Published quarterly• Last issue examined: vol. 22 n 4 (2002)• Total articles published: 517


Type of articles

E&B• theory, overview,

methodology: 16.52% (N=172);

• empirical research: 83.48% (N=869)

• Tot: N=1041

JEP• theory, overview,

methodology: 19.92% (N=103)

• empirical research: 80.08% (N=414)

• Tot: N=517


The four modes of human-environment transaction

(from Stokols, 1978)

FORM OF TRANSACTION

Cognitive Behavioral

PHASE OF TRANSACTION

Active Interpretive Operative

Reactive Evaluative Responsive


Difference between journals(chisq=26.238, df=3, p<.000)

Journal (%)

Transaction mode JEP E&B Totalinterpretive 31,6% 19,2% 23,2%evaluative 32,1% 34,1% 33,4%operative 16,7% 22,4% 20,6%reactive 19,6% 24,3% 22,8%Total 100,0% 100,0% 100,0%


Trends in different modesE&B: chisq=41.527, df=18, p<.001

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

>72 73-77 78-82 83-87 88-92 93-97 98-02

inter pr etive evaluative operative r eactive

++

-

-

-

+

-

+


Trends in different modesJEP: chisq=11.147, df=12, n.s

0

10

20

30

40

50

78-82 83-87 88-92 93-97 98-02

inter pr etive evaluative operative r eactive


Main areas of empirical research • spatial cognition, cognitive maps, wayfinding, perception of the

environment;• meaning and sense of place, place and identity processes;• personality and the environment;• aesthetic preference;• evaluation of environmental quality and satisfaction;• environmental attitudes, concern and values, risk perception;• pro-environmental behavior (recycling, littering, energy use, etc.),

interventions to preserve the environment;• control of the environment, territoriality and privacy;• organization and use of the space, locational choices, participation in

planning;• behavioral and health consequences of stressors, coping behavior;• impact of the built/natural environment on behavior, well-being, and

social interaction.

Articles in research areasResearch area JEP (%) E&B (%)

Cognition 21,7 12,2Meaning & identity 7,5 5,3Personality 2,4 1,7Aesthetics 12,6 4,8Satisfaction 8,7 11,7Attitudes 10,9 17,5Pro-environmental behavior 4,1 10,2Control & territoriality 6,5 4,3Arrangement & use 6,0 7,9Stress 6,8 7,6Impact of environment 12,8 16,7Tot. 100,0 100,0


Publication trends in research areas(last 20 years)


Publication trends in research areas

Significant changes – mainly due to E&B - emerge in most areas, in particular:

• Constant decline of cognitive studies;• Sharp increase in the last five years of studies on

meaning and identity;• Significant decline of studies on satisfaction from 88-92

to the last five years;• Constant and significant increase in the same period of

studies on environmental concern and behavior.


Conclusions

As far as Stokol’s characterization of people-environment transactions is effective, we can say that the different modes are all stable areas of interest for environmental psychology.

The observed trend in both areas of environmental attitudes and pro-environmental behavior confirms that environmental psychology is moving toward an “environmental psychology of sustainability”, as Bonnes & Bonaiuto (2002) put it.

Comparison of the two journals helps us to pinpoint a few differences between EP in the strict sense and study of people-environment relationships in the broad sense: - JEP, where psychology plays a far more central role than E&B, puts greater emphasis on cognitive forms of transaction – in particular cognition and aesthetics. - In E&B, the larger amount of papers on the behavioral form of transaction, seems to reflect more involvement in design and planning and parallel interest in applied research.


References

Bonnes, M. & Bonaiuto, M. (2002). Environmental Psychology: From spatial-physical environment to sustainable development. In R.B. Betchel & A. Churchman (Eds.), Handbook of Environmental Psychology (pp. 28-54). New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Kantrowitz, M. (1985). Has Environment and Behavior Research "Made a Difference"? Environment & Behavior, 17: 25-46.

Krämer, B. (1995). Classification of Generic Places: Explorations with Implications for Evaluation. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 15:3-22.

Montero, M. ,& Lena, L.(1997). Scientific Productivity in Environmental Psychology in Mexico: A Bibliometric Analysis. Environment & Behavior, 29: 169-197.

Pol, E. (1988). La Psicología Ambiental en Europa. Análisis sociohistórico.Barcelona: Editorial Anthropos.

Sime J. D. (1999). What is environmental psychology? Texts, content and context. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 19:191-206.

Stokols D. (1995). The paradox of environmental psychology. American Psychologist, 50: 821-837.

Stokols, D. & Altman, I. (1987) (Eds.). Handbook of Environmental Psychology. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Stokols, D. (1978). Environmental Psychology. Annual Review of Psychology, 29: 253-295.

Thiel, P. (1994). Beyond Design Review: Implications for Design Practice, Education, and Research. Environment & Behavior, 26: 363-376.

Trends in Environmental Psychology: A comparison between JEP and E&B

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