Do environmental attitudes and personal characteristics influence how people perceive their exposure to green spaces?
Topics:
Keywords: perceived greenspace, objective greenspace, perceptions, environmental attitudes, sociodemographics
Abstract Type: Paper Abstract
Authors:
Emma Rieves, Univeristy of Colorado Boulder
Colleen Reid, University of Colorado Boulder
Kate Carlson, University of Colorado Boulder
Xiaojiang Li, Temple University
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Abstract
Background
This study aimed to explore the relationship between perceived and objective greenspace
exposure, and how sociodemographic traits and environmental attitudes influence peoples’
perceptions of greenspace.
Methods
We leveraged a cross-sectional survey on greenspace exposure among residents of Denver, CO
that ran from November 2019 through April 2021. We measured objective greenspace using the
average NDVI, average percent vegetation, and median
GVI (green view index) from aerial and street-level imagery within 300, 500, and 1,000 meters
of participants’ residences, and in participant-drawn polygons representing their neighborhoods.
We measured perceived greenspace exposure based on survey responses to five questions about
greenspace abundance, visibility, access, usage, and quality near participants’ home and assessed
relationships between perceived and objective greenspace measures. Using the responses from
the five dimensions of perceived greenspace, we used latent class analysis to create perceived
greenspace exposure classes and used linear models to assess the relationship between perceived
green space exposure classes and sociodemographic and environmental attitude variables.
Results
We found that the strength of the relationship between perceived and objective measures was
strongest for abundance and visibility; there were not strong correlations with perceived access,
usage, and quality. Objective greenspace exposure was a substantial factor in predicting
perceived greenspace classes, as were environmental attitudes, whereas most sociodemographic
variables were not statistically significant when adjusted for other stronger predictors.
Conclusion
Our work suggests that objective greenspace exposure is only one factor influencing peoples’
perceived greenspace exposure, and that environmental attitude variables play an additional role
in shaping peoples’ perceptions.
Do environmental attitudes and personal characteristics influence how people perceive their exposure to green spaces?
Category
Paper Abstract
