Psychology 3450.3A Fall 2007

Environmental Psychology

David L. Wiesenthal

www.psych.yorku.ca/davidw

Contact Information: D. L. Wiesenthal

• 288 Behavioural Sciences Building

• (416) 736-2100, ext 30114 (voice mail available)

• davidw@yorku.ca

• Office hours by appointment

• Secretary: Ms. Judy Manners, 280 BS

Research Interests

• Driver stress, reduction of driver stress, aggressive behaviour on roadways

• Driver vengeance

• Research ethics

• Vandalism

• Housing needs of different groups

• Scientific racism

Course Organization

• Exam 1 (40%)

• Exam 2 (40%

• Exam 3 (20%)

• All exams cover only that units work—they are NOT cumulative

• Exams are equally composed of material from lecture, films and readings

Missed Exams

• Make-up exams will only be provided to those submitting the University’s form (see course outline for details).

• The teaching assistant must be contacted (preferably by e-mail) within the designated time period either prior to, or following the exam.

Missed Exams

• Make-up exams will be held at a time and place arranged by the teaching assistant.

Lecture Format

• Attending lectures is vital• PowerPoint presentations for each lecture will be

posted on my website.• If you miss a video, you can view at the Sound

and Moving Image Library on the ground floor of Scott Library

• All films will be discussed and you will be informed prior to the film what you should be getting from the video.

Lecture Format

• Lectures will be for the full three hour time slot.

• A 15 minute break will occur at different times for each session.

What is environmental psychology?

• Environmental psychology studies the effect of the environment (or environmental variables) on behaviour. This is the dominant approach.

• Environmental psychology also studies the impact people have on the environment (e.g., studies of littering, motivation for family planning, energy conservation, recycling, use of mass transportation etc.)

• Environmental psychology is a subarea (division) in both the American and Canadian Psychological Associations.

• Environmental psychology dates back to 1970.

What gave rise to environmental psychology?

• Kurt Lewin’s field theory• P = person• E = psychological environment

L = life space

)(LfB

EPL

PE

Nonpsychological aspects of the universe

Nonpsychological aspects of the universe

Lewin’s interaction model of personality

What gave rise to environmental psychological?

• Problems of cities, population density, pollution, inner city decay, effects of apartment house living.

• Awareness and importance of the natural environment (endangered wildlife, pollution threats, etc.)

• Desire of social psychology to be useful

• Frustration with theory building in social psychology and in disappointment over its implementation to solve societal problems.

Assumptions About How the Environment Operates

• The environment is experienced as a unitary field.• The person has environmental properties as well as

individual ones.• There is no physical environment that is not embedded in,

and related to a social system.• The degree of influence of the physical environment on

behaviour varies with the behaviour in question• The environment frequently operates below the level of

awareness.• The “observed” environment is not necessarily the

“real”environment.

Franco Magnani ‘s Pontito Paintings

http://www.exploratorium.edu/memory/magnani/

Main Street Disney WorldMain Street Disney World

Assumptions About How the Environment Operates

• The environment is organized as a set of mental images

• The environment has symbolic value.

Chartres Cathedral

Chartres Cathedral

Jerusalem: Different Meanings for Different Religions

No shortage of symbols here!

The Sidewalk Drawings of Julian Beever

• Beever is an English artist who draws on sidewalks in Europe, Australia, England, and the U.S.A.

• It is a great example of how the perceived environment is not necessarily the “real” environment.

A change in perspective