Landscape perception: Research, application and theory

Abstract Landscape perception research during the past two decades has responded to legislative mandates and landscape management, planning and design issues in a number of countries. It has also engaged the interests of individuals from a variety of disciplines and professions. This paper presents an analysis of the paradigms that have been followed in assessing perceived landscape values, and identifies the theoretical or conceptual bases which underlie these approaches. Four paradigms are identified from review of over 160 articles published in 20 journals during the period 1965–1980. Publications in each paradigm (expert, psychophysical, cognitive and experiential) are reviewed with reference to contributions to pragmatic landscape planning and management issues and to the evolution of a general theory of landscape perception. Trends in publications within the paradigms are indicated over time and by professional-disciplinary orientation. Overall, the absence of an explicit theoretical foundation is noted. Arguments in support of the development of a theoretical framework for landscape perception research are advanced and a proposed framework based on an interactive perception process is presented.

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