Cross-cultural perceptions of scenic and heritage landscapes

Increasing international attention is being directed to the identification and management of scenic and heritage landscapes. Little is known, however, about the variability among cultures in the perception of valued landscapes. Most landscape perception research to date has emphasized agreement among groups of observers from relatively similar cultural backgrounds. This paper reports on two studies which compared scenic landscape perceptions of Yugoslavians, West Indians and Americans of several ethnic backgrounds. The landscapes used in the study are from the West Indies and from the northeastern United States. Important differences are identified among groups in the perception of landscapes with and without man-made structures. Possible explanations for differences in perceptions of scenic quality are suggested, including perception as a learned response and the magnitude of differences among cultures. Implications of the research findings are indicated for the managers of heritage landscapes.