Cross-cultural comparison of visual landscape preferences for the natural environment, A

1994 Summer.Includes bibliographical references.The purpose of this study was (1) to identify significant differences in the landscape preferences for the natural environments of Caucasian, Hispanic, Black, Native, and Asian American students at Colorado State University, (2) to identify and compare the underlying perceptual dimensions of their preferences, and (3) to compare the effectiveness of the Kaplans' Informational Processing Model of Environmental Preferences predictors on the landscape preferences of each group. The study found that all groups rated the mountain category highest and the grassland category lowest. However, within categories, Native Americans and Caucasians rated mountain and grassland categories significantly higher than Blacks or Asians. Though there were no statistically significant differences, Blacks and Asians rated the city park category relatively higher than Native Americans and Caucasians. Hispanics did not show significant differences from any other group in this study, in mean preference ratings for any of the three environment types depicted. Four perceptual dimensions were found in the mountain category. These were labelled (1) Partially Screened Views, (2) Rock Formations, (3) Enclosed Views, and (4) Exposed Rocks. In the grassland category, there were only two perceptual dimensions - (1) Pathways and (2) Buttes/ Escarpments. Some significant group differences were noted among these dimensions. In utilizing the Kaplans' Informational Processing Model of Environmental Preference, it was found that Complexity and Mystery correlated highly with the landscape preferences of all groups. A multiple regression analysis of the predictors found that they have significant effects on the preferences of all groups and predicted the preferences of all groups, except for Blacks, in similar manner

Antitranspirants as an aid in the vegetative propagation of Ilex crenata Compacta and Rhododendron obtusum Coral Bells

Semi hardwood cuttings of Ilex crenata \u27Compacta\u27 treated with Wilt Pruf NCF (10% v/v), Vapor Card (2.5% v/v) and B-Nine SP (5000 ppm) lost significantly less water by transpiration than untreated cuttings. Cuttings treated with phenylmercuric acetate (200 ppm) lost significantly more water than untreated cuttings. Leaf damage to cuttings treated with Wilt Pruf NCF and Vapor Card was low, B-Nine SP caused moderate damage and phenylmercuric acetate caused severe damage. Cuttings of Rhododendron obtusum \u27Coral Bells\u27 treated with Wilt Pruf NCF (10% v/v) and Vapor Card (2.5% v/v) lost significantly less water than untreated cuttings and showed little damage from anti-transpirants. Cuttings treated with B-Nine SP (5000 ppm) and phenyl mercuric acetate (200 ppm) were severely damaged. For both \u27Compacta\u27 holly and \u27Coral Bells\u27 azalea, there was no significant difference in the number of roots per cutting and in the mean length of the longest root per cutting between cuttings treated with Wilt Pruf NCF, Vapor Card and mist

Place attachment to contemporary public-funded mosques in Malaysia

Place is a Physical location formed by people’s relationship with physical environments, activities, and meanings. In this essence, Place Attachment is a concept that could describe the quality of the people’s relationship with a place. Although religion has a significant impact on the public place attachment within religious places, the architectural features and attributes of such physical settings could still play an influential role in leveraging this attachment. However, the role of architectural characteristics and features of Islamic religious places, as the components that make them meaningful, has not been adequately explored within the context of Malaysia. This paper reports the results of a conducted study for investigating Malaysian users’ attachment to five Malaysian mosques from three different architectural styles. The paper explains how Malaysian users attach to the mosques and which attributes of these places affect their attachment. In-depth interviews with 23 worshipers in the mosques and questionnaire survey with 288 people were conducted to address this objective. The study identified the drivers of Malaysian users’ attachment to the selected mosques. This study is a new approach to investigation of physical and ambient quality of mosques based on empirical data, hence providing theoretical basis for further investigations and improvement

Invasive plants in the Malaysian landscape

The increasing use of exotic plants for urban landscaping has presented a new threat to the local ecosystems when the newly introduced plant species thrive out of control—i.e., becoming invasive—in the new environment. If left unchecked, they are capable of displacing local plants; and thereby, causing a disruption to the local ecosystems. The disruptions can contribute to permanent changes to local and regional landscape characteristics, which in turn, will threaten agricultural, recreational as well as tourism potentials of a country. This paper highlights the threat and suggests methodologies for the prevention, management and eradication of these invasive plants

Malaysia's three major ethnic group preferences in creating a Malaysian garden identity

Malaysia has a complex multiracial population, predominantly defined by three major ethnic groups: Malay, Chinese and Indian races, with diverse cultural backgrounds. Despite this, the country has a vision to be the most beautiful garden nation, and its National Landscape Policy (NLP) puts emphasis on creating a unique landscape and garden identity. Because of ethnic and cultural differences, there are differences between preferences for developing a garden identity for Malaysia. Hence, this study focused on the visual quality of gardens. Representative images of four well-established gardens of the world including Persian-Islamic, English, Japanese and Chinese gardens were presented to the study's respondents through preference photo surveys. Respondents from the three major ethnic groups in Malaysia were asked to rate their preferred garden types, elements and scenes that they would like to see in Malaysian gardens. The results pinpointed expectations of the visual quality of gardens. These highlighted some similarities and differences between the three major ethnic groups in their preferences for the scenes and elements that they sought in gardens. Diverse factors must be considered when creating Malaysian gardens that will be accepted by Malaysians of different ethnic groups. Garden development reveals preferences attached to visual qualities and emphasises cultural differences between garden users

Determining sound, smell, and touch attributes in small urban parks using NGT

All senses in the landscape area are always interrelated in a complex way. Since concept of multi-sensory integration has been considered as an influential factor on the human environmental perception, engagement of the non-visual (sound- smell- touch) factors could add some information to human knowledge. The literature review of the paper initially addressed the effectiveness of non-visual factors. The summary extracted Natural, and Mechanical, Human, Instrumental (for sound), in addition Natural, Environmental related and Human-body (for smell), and finally Natural and Furniture (for touch). Furthermore, research with application of literature conducted NGT (Nominal Group Technique) to determine more salient information regarding availability of non-visual attributes in the urban environment (e.g. small urban parks). The finding of this research could offer some insight into the design elements. Indeed, the extracted information could help the designers and policy makers to propose applicable and appropriate combination of the elements in the urban area such as small urban parks to establish a more successful environment