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M50 Environmental Perception and Cognition

Aims and Learning Outcomes

This module aims to expose students to a range of environmental research in order to provide a conceptual underpinning to inform their understanding of the major theoretical formulations and models used to investigate environment-behaviour settings in practice.

By the end of this modules students are expected

  • to have an advanced knowledge and understanding of methods, theory and practice of environment-behaviour research.
  • to be trained in environmental problem analysis and formulation, intervention, assessment and evaluation as appropriate to environment-behaviour settings in order to enable them to conduct empirical research of their own.
  • to be trained in understanding and applying a range of psychological and environment-behaviour research methods, techniques and tools.
  • to be able to self-reflect in support of personal and professional development via constructive feedback.
  • to be able to link theoretical and empirical questions to socio-environmental issues with a view to understanding the practical applications of environmental psychological theories and empirical findings.
  • to be able to communicate results to others within the social sciences and the professional world of architecture, planning and environmental science.
  • to be knowledgeable about procedures and practices for the ethical conduct of research.

Course Convenor

Dr Birgitta Gatersleben

Other Contributors

Contact Hours

20

Required Prerequisite Study

None.

Completion Requirement

Completion of the module (and the acquisition of 15 course credits) requires a total of 20 contact hours in the form of lectures, seminars and workshops. Students are also expected to invest a minimum of 5 hours of study time per one hour of contact time (i.e., 100 hours) in order to undertake the course to satisfactory degree.

Assessments

Assignment 1 will comprise a practical assignment of 2,000 words. This will reveal whether students understand the material of the course and whether they are able to handle the material in a critical and creative manner. (50% of the final mark).
Assignment 2 will comprise a short answer examination paper with short open-ended questions about the subjects that have been discussed during the course. (50% of the final mark).

Suggested Reading

Bechtel, R.B. & Churchman, A. (2003). Handbook of Environmental Psychology. New York: Wiley.

Bell, P.A., Greene, T.C., Fisher, J.D., & Baum, A. (2001). Environmental Psychology. Orlando: Harcourt.

Gifford, R. (2002) Environmental Psychology, Principles and Practice. Optimal Books.