A lifespan developmental study of landscape assessment

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 compatability 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.