Psychology, human behavior, and the environment - Summer 2007
Course overview
This class will provide an introduction to environmental psychology, which can be described as the study of (bidirectional) relationships between the (natural, built, social) environment and the (mind, behavior) of (mature-age, adult, child/adolescent) humans. This brief definition implies that environmental psychology subsumes 36 different types of relationships. This includes, for example, ways in which the behavior of adults shapes the natural environment, and ways in which the built ("man-made") environment shapes the behavior of children.
In a single class we will be able to consider only a subset of these. Our treatment will consist essentially of two parts. In the first half of the class, we will examine various subfields of psychology (cognitive, personality, and social) as they inform our understanding of different aspects of the environment. In the second half, we will examine "the environment" at increasingly broad levels of scale - from the design of light switches and stovetops to that of parks and communities.
Our discussions will range from the minutiae of methodology (how studies are done) to philosophical reflections about what it all means for us, and how we can work together to design a better world.
Grades will be based on the following:
| Area | Weight | Notes |
| Attendance and participation in class and labs | 20% | Attendance at class and in labs is required. A good participation grade will be earned by reading the material in a timely fashion, coming to class prepared to ask questions about the material, and participating conscientiously in the labs. |
| Papers | 25 | Papers are described below. |
| Exam 1 | 20 | The midterm will likely include essays and short answers. A study sheet will be given to you prior to the exam that will help give you a sense of what to expect. |
| Exam 2 | 20 | The final exam will be "cumulative." |
| Presentations | 15 | Each student will be presenting on one occasion at our institute-wide symposia |
Readings
Gifford, R. (2002). Environmental psychology: Principles and practice. Victoria, BC: Optimal Books.
Additional papers will be made available in class, or, more typically, hyperlinked to the electronic version of this syllabus.
In enrolling in this course, students agree to abide by the Honor Code of the college, whose full text can be found here.
Lecture topics and readings
Projected dates and curriculum content are given below. Note that the pace of the course is accelerated, and that students are expected to make every effort to stay on top of the readings. Please consult http://wise.fau.edu/~lanning/environmental/index.htm frequently, as dates and content are subject to change.
|
Meeting |
Date |
Topic |
Reading |
Other assignments |
|
Part 1: Psychological perspectives on the environment |
||||
|
1 |
July 9 |
Framing environmental psychology |
Brief papers in class: McCarthy, (2004) and Ulrich, (1984); Oppenheimer & Todorov (2006); Project for Public Spaces (2003)
|
Preliminary survey |
|
2 |
10 |
Cognitive and psychophysical perspectives |
Gifford, Chapters 1 and 2 |
|
|
3 |
11 |
Developmental perspectives; |
Evans (2006) and
|
Paper 1 due |
|
4 |
12 |
Social-cognitive perspectives;
|
Suedfeld & Steel (2000)Chapter 3 |
Prepare for presentation: Group 1 |
|
5 |
13 |
Psychometric perspectives |
Chapter 3 (continued) |
Environmental Response Inventory; |
|
6 |
16 |
Personality psychological perspectives |
Chapter 4 |
Paper 2 due |
|
7 |
17 |
Social psychological perspectives: Territory, crowding, and personal space |
Chapters 5 and 6;
|
Review |
|
8 |
18 |
Exam 1 |
||
|
Part 2: Environments of scale |
||||
|
9 |
19 |
Psychology and the design of small things: From human factors to interior
design / Privacy |
Patterns website; |
Prepare for presentation: Group 2 |
|
10 |
20 |
Psychology and the design of your home |
Alexander, TBA; |
Have your topic for paper 3 approved |
|
11 |
23 |
Psychology and the design of public buildings |
Chapter 12 |
|
|
12 |
24 |
Psychology and the design of communities |
Chapter 10,
|
Paper 3 due |
|
13 |
25 |
Psychology, sustainability, and the macroenvironment: Game theory, the commons dilemma, rationality, and risk |
Chapter 14, |
Prepare for presentation: Group 3 |
|
14 |
26 |
Integration and interventions |
Chapter 15 and Epilog |
Review |
|
15 |
27 |
Exam 2 |
||
Paper 1: Approximately 2 pages, double spaced. Topic: "Some initial thoughts on environmental psychology." Paper should try to evaluate your 'preliminary survey' in terms of one or more of the short papers discussed in class on July 9. Paper should be emailed to lanning@fau.edu by 9 AM July 11 for credit.
Paper 2: Approximately 3-5 pages, double spaced. Topic must be approved by Dr. Lanning in class on July 13. Paper should be emailed to lanning@fau.edu by 9 AM July 16 for credit.
Paper 3: Approximately 3-5 pages, double spaced. Topic must be approved by Dr. Lanning in class on July 24. Paper should be emailed to lanning@fau.edu by 9 AM July 24 for credit.
(Note that the length of the three papers must be no longer than 10 pages altogether).
Up to Dr. Kevin Lanning, Honors College, Florida Atlantic University
Revised 07/10/07