Short listed Abstracts 2007

Winner of the JSA 2007
Value orientations, news articles,
and intentions to perform energy-efficient behaviours
by Katie Westacott

Security devices and environmental cues, and their effect on the perceived security of detached and terraced/semi-detached houses
by Gemma Kay Hill

The effect of aesthetics and natural elements on mood and perceived restoration in residential environments
by Charlotte Alldis

 

Value orientations, news articles,
and intentions to perform energy-efficient behaviours
by
Katie Westacott
Winner of the 2007

This paper’s premise was to examine the role that values can take in guiding and influencing proenvironmental choices and behaviours. The present study examines the extent to which value orientation correlates with intentions to carry out energy efficient behaviours, as well as the effect that value-orientated articles have on enhancing these intentions. As previous research has highlighted how information aiming to change attitudes and behaviours does not always work, this study additionally examined the extent to which messages appealing to a particular value orientation were more effective in strengthening intentions in people who strongly held that particular value orientation.

This study focused on participants’ reported direct energy consumption and used egoistic, social-altruistic, and biospheric value orientations adopted from Stern, Dietz, Kalof and Guagnano (1995b). These values centre around intentions to act in an energy efficient way when motivated by either personal gains or in reaction to the negative impacts that inaction would have on other people and the biosphere.

A between-subjects design was used, where participants were presented with one of three news articles to read on climate change and energy consumption. These articles were framed in either an egoistic, social-altruistic or biospheric value orientated way. Participants then completed a questionnaire that assessed their value orientations, their current energy usage behaviour, as well as their intentions to energy-save. The sample consisted of 104 participants ranging from 20 to 78 years old (mean age 39.6). All participants were UK residents.

It was found that the biospheric value orientation had a greater correlation with intentions than it did in egoistic or social-altruistic cases. These findings are in accordance with Stern, Dietz & Kalof (1993) who specified that those with a biospheric value orientation express greater concern for the environment, than do people of an egoistic or social-altruistic nature. Each article was found to strengthen intention above the mean score of the control group suggesting the positive effects that can come from written communications independent of the value orientation within which they are framed. Mixed results were found in relation to the hypothesis that participants would show greater levels of intention if exposed to an article which reflected their personal value orientation, however most of the results were found in the expected direction. Although the egoistic message was least successful in heightening intentions it was found to have a more significant effect on people holding an egoistic value orientation in comparison to others. The social-altruistic message was found to have the greatest effect in increasing intentions across all value orientations.

This study has positive implications for using the media to promote and create awareness of the negative effects that climate change is having. Support was found to suggest that news articles highlighting these key points could be used to strengthen intentions across a range of energy-saving behaviours. Furthermore if framed within a socially altruistic perspective these messages could show an even greater effect on increasing public intentions to act in an energy-efficient way.

References:
Stern, P. C., Dietz, T. & Kalof, L. (1993). Value orientations, gender, and environmental concern. Environment and Behavior, 25 (3), 322-348.

Stern, P. C., Dietz, T., Kalof, L. & Guagnano, G. A. (1995b). Values, beliefs, and pro-environmental action: Attitude formation toward emergent attitude objects. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 25 (18), 1611-1636.

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Security devices and environmental cues, and their effect on the perceived security of detached and terraced/semi-detached houses
by
Gemma Kay Hill

The model of defensible space by Newman (1972) initiated much investigation into the security of properties. The model consists of three main mechanisms which supposedly improve security: real and symbolic barriers create boundaries that define a private zone; improved opportunities for surveillance constructs a representation of a safe environment; and territoriality is defined by the amount of territorial displays, for example barriers. Detached houses are also said to be their own statement of territorial claim. Bennett and Wright (1984: 69) found that territorial displays using both types of barriers actually made houses more suitable for burglary because cover was offered – they identified that most of the risk factors mentioned by burglars linked to the risk of being seen.

As a result of previous research, security features and house types were embedded into a new study. Nine security features were identified: burglar alarm; car in the drive; CCTV; hedges surrounding the property; low brick wall surrounding the property; front garden; security light; gates; and a busy road in front of the property. Each one appeared on an image of a detached and a terraced/semi-detached house. There were two identical versions of each house – one with a security feature, the other without it. In total there were eighteen pairs of houses and each pair consisted of the same house with a security feature added to one by computer enhancement.

Eighty-one undergraduate Psychology students aged eighteen to thirty-five years participated in the study – the majority of participants were female. The images of houses were displayed in a PowerPoint slideshow and rated for their level of security on a questionnaire. This was to find out what security features improved the perceived security for non-burglars whilst investigating what effect housing types have on this perception. A two-factor within groups design was used for the two main sections of the study. The first section tested whether detached houses were perceived as more secure than terraced/semi-detached houses due to their territorial claim, alongside whether properties with an added security feature were rated as more secure. The relationship between the type of house and the security level was then tested. The second part was an extension to this and it consisted of testing whether there were any differences between the perceived security of the individual security features, and then the relationship between this and the type of house was tested.

It was found that detached houses were rated significantly more secure than terraced/semi-detached houses, while the houses with a security feature were only rated marginally more secure than the houses without one. Further analysis revealed that CCTV, a front garden, and gates improved the perceived security on both types of property. It was also found that hedges and a low wall were detrimental to a property’s perceived security when featured on a terraced/semi-detached house. The findings support the majority of Newman’s (1972) defensible space theory, but the effect of actual and symbolic barriers needs further research with homeowners, prospective homeowners, and with burglars.

References:
Bennett, T. and Wright, R. (1984). Burglars on Burglary. Hampshire: Gower.

Newman (1972). Defensible Space. London: Architectural Press.

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The effect of aesthetics and natural elements on mood and perceived restoration in residential environments
by
Charlotte Alldis

Nature’s influential role in psychological restoration is well documented within the environmental literature as is the link between restoration and aesthetic preference. On closer inspection of some of the major empirical studies in this field however, it is clear that the natural and urban environments are often aesthetically unmatched. Additionally very few studies have yet to focus on the effects of aesthetics and visible nature within a purely urban environment. Due to Westerners’ financial and emotional investment into built areas today, it seems that there is an imperative need to explore what it is that makes some urban environments more restorative than others. This need is further highlighted by the empirical studies which have provided support for the emotional and physiological benefits associated with encountering restorative environments. Therefore such inter-urban analysis could be incremental to a large proportion of Westerners’ health and well-being. 

Ninety undergraduate students viewed two photographs (randomly assigned from 12 pre categorised ones) and answered a modified version of Hartig’s (Hartig et al., 1997) Revised Perceived Restorative Scale (RPRS) as well as a measure of affect based upon the emotional dimension of Han’s (2003) Perceived Restorative Scale (PRS). Results indicated that both the perceived levels of restoration and mood were higher in residential areas that were classified as pretty in comparison to those that were classified as ugly. Environments with lots of greenery evoked more positive mood and were perceived to be more restorative than environments with less greenery, but only when those environments were perceived to be ugly. For beautiful environments the increase in the level of greenery was matched with a decrease in the level of perceived mood and restoration.

The results discussed and explored within this study could potentially have practical implications for planners and developers working in urban residential areas as well as estate agents attempting to sell such properties. The findings also have theoretical implications, particularly regarding the four proposed dimensions of restoration as outlined by Kaplan and Kaplan (1989) and the applicability of both Hartig’s (Hartig et al., 1997) RPRS and Han’s (2003) PRS scale.

The results gained from this study further support the common finding linking both greenery and aesthetics to restoration. However the relationship between the levels of greenery and the levels of perceived restoration seemed to be mediated by the aesthetic conditions. Further research should be done to elucidate the reason why only the scenes within the ugly condition were positively affected by levels of greenery in terms of mood and restoration. Due to the lack of previous research in this area, only theoretical speculations can be made and more research is needed to uncover the precise mechanisms mediating environmental restoration and aesthetic preference. Furthermore the significant role that aesthetics seems to play in the perception of restoration in urban settings should be further investigated in alternative urban environments.

References:
Han, Ke-Tsung (2003). A reliable and valid self-rating measure of the restorative quality of natural environments. Landscape and Urban Planning, 64, 209-232.
Hartig, T., Kaiser, F. G. & Bowler, P. A. (1997). Further development of a measure of perceived environmental restorativeness (Working Paper No. 5). Gävle, Sweden: Uppsala University, Institute for Housing Research.
Kaplan, R. & Kaplan, S. (1989). The experience of nature: A psychological perspective. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

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