| This study compares scenic quality ratings across age
groups. Previous landscape perception research has tended to limit
participants to young adult and middle aged persons. The 294 subjects in
this study range in age from six years to over 70 years. Subjects sorted
each of 56 colored photographs on scenic quality. For each photograph,
four dimensions were derived (perceived naturalism, land use compatibility
and relative relief) and used in testing hypotheses about the relationship
of age with specific attributes of the landscape. Findings from the study
indicate that young children do rate landscapes differently from adults
and that the ratings of the older adults differ slightly from those of
young and middle-aged adults. Relationships of the four descriptive
dimensions with scenic quality judgments varied by age group. |