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Outline. Brief overview of the development of the Behavioural Approach Three applications of the Behavioural Approach Agricultural land-use decisions (land-use theory) Differences in spatial skills (spatial cognition). Outline for Lecture No. 2. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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Outline
• Brief overview of the development of the Behavioural Approach
• Three applications of the Behavioural Approach– Agricultural land-use decisions (land-use
theory)– Differences in spatial skills (spatial cognition)
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Outline for Lecture No. 2
• Continue overview of the development of the Behavioural Approach
• Simon’s Satisficer Theory
• Golledge and Simspon’s Cognitive Map Model
• The Behavioural Approach and Land-use Theory
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Foundations for the Emergenceof the “New” Geography
• Regional perspective was not regarded as a science
• Edward Ackerman (1945) argued that:
– During WWII many regional specialists “lacked the competence in topical and systematic subjects”
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Geography and theRegional Perspective
• Following demise of ED, the regional perspective dominated
• Regional perspective emphasized detailed study of specific regions, synthesizing knowledge from many systematic disciplines
• Emphasized Areal Differentiation
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According to Richard Hartshorne (1939), the goal of geography was to …….
“provide an orderly and rational description and interpretation of the variable character of the earth’s surface”
NB: definition does not include any reference to explanation, prediction, search for laws, or empirical verification.
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Foundations for the Emergenceof the “New” Geography
• Regional perspective was not regarded as a science
• Edward Ackerman (1945) argued that:
– During WWII many regional specialists “lacked the competence in topical and systematic subjects”
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Foundations for the Emergenceof the “New” Geography (cont’d)
• 1953 Frederick Schaefer publishes “Exceptionalsim in Geography”
• Geography should shift focus from the general to the specific (systematic focus)
• Geography should adopt of the basic objective of science
• And that geography should adopt the methods, techniques and “language” of science
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Adoption of Logical Positivism and Neo-classical Economic Determinism
• Iowa State geography dept at the forefront
• Scheafer had been influenced by Gustav Bergmann who had been a member of the “Vienna Circle”
• Several other members at Iowa adopted notion of “Homo Economus”
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Neo-classical Economic DeterminismChallenged…..
• Neo-classical economic determinism dominated human (economic) geography until late 1960s
• Predictions grounded in optimization, principle of least effort or profit maximization were found wanting – too many anomalies
• E.g. how do we explain decisions that are “good enough” (feasible) but not “the best” (optimal)?
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Simon’s Satisficer Theroy
• We are rational decision makers – even when decisions are sub-optimal
• Simon’s Central Idea = When making decisions, we taken a range of considerations into account
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AB
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Environmental Information
Perceptual Filters
Cognitive Map
Personality
Experiences
Culture
Gender
Class
Ethnicity
Cognitive Map Model by Reginald Golledge and Robert Simpson
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Applying the Behavioural Approachto Agricultural Land Use Theory
• J.H. von Thunen first proposed his theory of agricultural land use in 1842 – known as “Rent Theory”
• Rent theory predicts that any given parcel of land will be used for (allocated to / devoted to) the “Highest and Best Use”
• Thunian land-use patterns widely documented but not universal (anomalies)
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Goals and Values of Farmers
• 1973 Prof. Ruth Gasson publishes seminal paper on the goal and values of farmers.
• Agricultural land-use patterns deviate from the “ideal” because maximizing profits – which Rent Theory assumes – is not the only factor farmers take into consideration.
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Goals and Values of Farmers (cont’d_
• Gasson argued that farmers reference four groupings of values …
• Intrinsic (an activity valued in its own right)• Expressive (a means of self expression)• Instrumental (means of earning income)• Social (done for sake of interpersonal
relationships)
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Ilbery, B.W. 1983, “Goals and values of hop farmers”, Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, Vol. 8: 329-341.
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Ilbery’s Study of Hop Farmers in Herefordshire and Worcestershire
• Surveyed 127 hop farmers• Respondents shown a list of 20 reasons• Each scored as follows:
• Essential = 4• Very important = 3• Important = 2• Not really important = 1• Irrelevant = 0
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Top Five ReasonsRank Reason Value Total
Score1 Doing the work
you likeIntrinsic 342
2 Independence Intrinsic 340
3 Satisfactory income
Instrumental 335
4 Respect of workers
Social 329
5 Self-respect for doing a good job
Expressive 323
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Here’s another example …..
• Smit, B. et al., 1997, “Corn hybrid selection and climatic variability: Gambling with nature?” The Canadian Geographer, 41 (4): 429-438.
• Found that after the (warm) year of 1991, a statistically significant number of farmers selected longer-maturing and potentially higher-yielding, but riskier varieties.
• After the lower CHU years of 1992 and 1993, farmers' hybrid selections became markedly more conservative.
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Gender-related differencesin Spatial Skills
• Women are underrepresented in jobs requiring application of spatial skills.
• Some have argued this is because women’s spatial skills are inferior.
• Self, C.M. et al., 1992, “Gender-related differences in spatial abilities”, Progress in Human Geography, Vol.16(3): 315-342.
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Spatial abilities include:
(1) Spatial orientation: ability to imagine how an object would look from another perspective.
(2) Spatial visualization: ability to mentally manipulate an object (e.g., mental rotation).
(3) Spatial relations: ability to identify and analyze spatial patterns and associations.
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Theories Advanced to Accountfor Male/Female Differences
• Deficiency Theory: differences are biologically based.
• Difference Theory: differences grounded in sociocultural processes.
• Inefficiency Theory: performance and behaviour indicators used tend to favour males.
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Self et al. conclude …..
• There is growing evidence that gender-based differences in spatial skills are narrowing.
• This has happened at the same time that male and female activity patterns have become more similar
• Therefore, observed differences may be largely the result of sociocultural processes
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To Summarize• One of several approaches used by human
geographers.
• Focuses on cognitive processes underlying geographic behaviour.
• These include perception, cognition, values and attitudes.
• Attempts to account for sub-optimal decisions and behaviours
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To Summarize
• Behavioural Geography one of several approaches used to understand human geographic behaviour
• Questions range from wayfinding to resource allocations decisions
• Response to limitations with Neo-classical Economic Determinism
• Draws on psychology (but other disciplines too!)