A
Acoustemology: a sonic way of knowing place. “an exploration of sonic
sensibilities, specifically of ways in which sound is central to making sense,
to knowing, to experiential truth. This seems particularly relevant to
understanding the interplay of sound and felt balance in the sense and
sensuality of emplacement, of making place” (Feld 1996: 97)
Adaptation: adjustment
to environmental conditions as an adjustment of a sense organ to the intensity
or quality of stimulation
Adaptive capacity is the
capacity of a system to adapt if the environment where the system exists is
changing. It is applied to e.g., ecological systems and human social systems.
Aedicula :
a small structure used as a shrine : a niche for a statue
Anthropogenic: of,
relating to, or resulting from the influence of human beings on nature <anthropogenic
pollutants> Caused by humans: anthropogenic degradation of the
environment.
Anthropometric: The
study of Anthropometrics (human measurement) is concerned with the physical
sizes and shapes of humans.
An archetype is a universally understood symbol or
term or pattern of behavior, a prototype upon which others are copied,
patterned, or emulated. Archetypes are often used in myths and storytelling
across different cultures.
B
Behavioral Mapping deals with people's locations and movements. Behavioral mapping collects information on how people actually use a designed space.
Behavioral range: the number of different settings that an individual enters during a given time period.
C
A Case Study is an intensive analysis of an individual unit (e.g., a person, group, or event) stressing developmental factors in relation to context
Causal relationship: when in a research study results are simply put A causes B.
A Case Study is an intensive analysis of an individual unit (e.g., a person, group, or event) stressing developmental factors in relation to context
Causal relationship: when in a research study results are simply put A causes B.
Climate change is the change is temperatures due to the increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere as a results of human activity. It is a significant and lasting change in the
statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades
to millions of years.
Cognitive Maps refer to the mental images of places individuals have of a space. They are a type
of mental processing composed of a series of psychological transformations by
which an individual can acquire, code, store, recall, and decode information
about the relative locations and attributes of phenomena in their everyday or
metaphorical spatial environment.
Collective Unconscious: the
inherited part of the unconscious that especially in the psychoanalytic theory
of C. G. Jung occurs in and is shared by all the members of a people or race
In Jungian psychological theory it is a part of the unconscious
mind incorporating patterns of memories, instincts, and experiences common to
all mankind. These patterns are inherited, may be arranged into archetypes, and
are observable through their effects on dreams, behavior, etc. Example:
Biophilia: as a species, going back to nature.
Community segmentation is a way
of clustering your communities into groups. Doing so helps you develop an
engagement program that will tap into all community sectors, so you can obtain
a balanced account of community issues and perspectives.
Conjecture: A statement that is unproven but is thought to be true and has not been disproven.
Continuous observation involves following a sample of a population or a subject over a defined period of time.
Correlational research: making sense of observations by measuring the association, of two or more dependent variables.
D
Deconstruction is
looking at writing and analyze the character. It seeks to examine the biases of
the writer, and in broader terms of a body of writings on a topic.
Deductive Research: research from the Top-Down approach: Theory, Hypothesis, Observation and then Confirmation.
Dependent Variable: What is measured in an experiment
Deterministic Study is an analysis based on results derived from scientific theories and empirical results only.
Dialectics: A method of argument or exposition that systematically weighs contradictory facts or ideas with a view to the resolution of their real or apparent contradictions.
Disorientation
1. Loss of one's sense of direction, position, or
relationship with one's surroundings.
2. Mental confusion or impaired awareness,
especially regarding place, time, or personal identity.
E
Empirical research is based on the observation and evidences collected, during the observation, of a phenomenon. Example: Behavioral maps are empirical documents that result from the observation of people's activity in a given place and time.
Environmental Mitigation: describe projects or programs intended to offset known impacts to an existing historic or natural resource such as a stream, wetland, endangered species, archeological site or historic structure.
Environmental Mitigation: describe projects or programs intended to offset known impacts to an existing historic or natural resource such as a stream, wetland, endangered species, archeological site or historic structure.
Epistemology: "How do we know what we know?" nature of
knowledge. It addresses the questions: What is knowledge? How is
knowledge acquired?
Ergonomics is the study of designing equipment and devices that fit the human body, its movements, and its cognitive abilities.
The International Ergonomics Association defines ergonomics as
follows: Ergonomics (or human factors) is the scientific
discipline concerned with the understanding of interactions among humans and
other elements of a system, and the profession that applies theory, principles,
data and methods to design in order to optimize human well-being and overall
system performance.
Ergonomics is employed to fulfill the two goals of
health and productivity. It is relevant in the design of such things as safe
furniture and easy-to-use interfaces to machines and equipment. Proper
ergonomic design is necessary to prevent repetitive strain injuries, which can
develop over time and can lead to long-term disability
Experimentation: is an approach or technique that involves causal relationship. for causality to be proven the following three conditions must be included: co-occurrence, the sequence of delivery, and the ruling out of other explanations. (Sommers and Sommers)
External validity is related to generalizing when proceeding with a research. It is the process of extrapolating the results of an experiment to groups outside the study.
Experimentation: is an approach or technique that involves causal relationship. for causality to be proven the following three conditions must be included: co-occurrence, the sequence of delivery, and the ruling out of other explanations. (Sommers and Sommers)
External validity is related to generalizing when proceeding with a research. It is the process of extrapolating the results of an experiment to groups outside the study.
G
Gentrification: the
process of renewal and rebuilding accompanying the influx of middle-class or
affluent people into deteriorating areas that often displaces poorer residents
Geographers study not
only the physical details of the environment but also its effects on human and
wildlife ecologies, weather and climate patterns, economics, and culture. They
are often especially focused on the spatial relationships between these
elements
Gestalt Theory: when the whole is more than the sum of its parts. process that accounts
for the organization of perception; a psychology term which means "unified
whole". it describes how people tend
to organize visual elements into groups or unified wholes when certain
principles are applied.
H
Habitability suitability
for living in or on.
an Hypothesis is a proposition we make as a basis for reasoning.it is a testable testament, an educated guess that can be either confirmed or disconfirmed.
an Hypothesis is a proposition we make as a basis for reasoning.it is a testable testament, an educated guess that can be either confirmed or disconfirmed.
I
Imageability is a property of a word or concept reflecting
how easy or difficult it is to visually or acoustically imagine.
Imaginal: pertaining to, or having the form of an imago.
Independent Variable: what is manipulated during an experiment.
Interviews are a methodology of survey that involves 2 people talking: the interviewer and the interviewee - it can be unstructured, structures or Semi-structured
M
Mapping is used to study people's relationship to the environment. Behavioral mapping collects information on how people actually use a designed space.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is a theory in psychology, proposed by Abraham Maslow in his 1943 paper A Theory of Human Motivation. His theories parallel many other theories of human developmental psychology, all of which focus on describing the stages of growth in humans.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is a theory in psychology, proposed by Abraham Maslow in his 1943 paper A Theory of Human Motivation. His theories parallel many other theories of human developmental psychology, all of which focus on describing the stages of growth in humans.
Method of Loci – It relies on memorized spatial
relationships to establish, order and recollect memorial content. The method of
loci is also commonly called the mental walk. In basic terms, it is a method of
memory enhancement which uses visualization to organize and recall information.
Mesocomfort zone: it is an
adaptive thermal comfort zone defined as the zone between the static model
optimal thermal environmental conditions and thermal conditions in which
involuntary physiological human response (e.g., sweating, shivering) occurs.
Modus Operandi: "Method of operation", the way things have been done for a long time and without being questioned.
Monograph A
scholarly piece of writing of essay or book length on a specific, often limited
subject.
N
Nature vs. Nurture is a debate about whether people's behavioral traits are developed based on a biological make-up or an environmental influence (education).
Neighborhood organization is created by a group of residents or property owners who advocate for or organize activities within a neighborhood. Result of efforts by residents and local government to shape that neighborhood.
Neighborhood organization is created by a group of residents or property owners who advocate for or organize activities within a neighborhood. Result of efforts by residents and local government to shape that neighborhood.
Noise pollution is the
disruption of the acoustic environment, the activity or balance of human or
animal life.
O
The olfactory system is the sensory system used for
olfaction, or the sense of smell.
Operational Definition defines something by how it is measured (Sommers and Sommers)
Operational Definition defines something by how it is measured (Sommers and Sommers)
P
Participatory research is a
research that includes the active involvement of those who are the subject of
the research.
Participatory research is usually action-oriented, where those involved in the research process collaborate to define the research project, collect and analyze the data, produce a final product and act on the results.
Peridodic observation involves observing the same subject at different times of the day.
Participatory research is usually action-oriented, where those involved in the research process collaborate to define the research project, collect and analyze the data, produce a final product and act on the results.
Peridodic observation involves observing the same subject at different times of the day.
Phenomenology is the study of structures of consciousness as
experienced from the first-person point of view.
Phenomenology of architecture is both a
philosophical design current in contemporary architecture and a specific field
of academic research, based on the experience of building materials and their
sensory properties.
Place identity refers to
a cluster of ideas about place and identity in the fields of geography, urban
planning, urban design, landscape architecture, environmental psychology, and
urban sociology/ecological sociology. It concerns the meaning and significance
of places for their inhabitants and users.
Polyglot is a mixture or confusion of languages or nomenclatures
Population is defined as a large collection of individuals which becomes the main focus of a research
Positivism is research based on quantifying or measuring. It holds that experimental investigation and observation are the only sources of substantial knowledge.
Q
A questionnaire is a type of survey. It is a research instrument consisting of a series of questions and other prompts for the purpose of gathering information from respondents. Questionnaires are usually paper-and-pencil instruments that the respondent completes.
R
Reliability: ask the
question: Is it measuring it consistently?
Rural landscape: areas that are not urbanized, where only country towns and smaller cities are included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture. The degree to which areas of wilderness are included in the term varies; very large wilderness areas are not likely to be described by the term in most contexts.
S
a Sample is the selection from the population that is the object of the research
Schemata views the organized knowledge as an elaborate network of abstract mental structures that represent one's understanding of the world.
Schemata views the organized knowledge as an elaborate network of abstract mental structures that represent one's understanding of the world.
The Sense of direction is an awareness of your orientation
in space
Setting is the situational aspect of the experiment
Signage is the design or use of signs
and symbols. It is any kind of
visual graphics created to display information to a particular audience. This
is typically manifested in the form of wayfinding
information in places such as streets or inside/outside of buildings.
Social Oppression is
the putting at disadvantage persons based on color, gender, nationality,
handicap, and so forth.
Social reproduction is a
sociological term referring to processes which sustain or perpetuate
characteristics of a given social structure or tradition over a period of time.
A soundscape is a sound or combination of sounds
that forms or arises from an immerse environment. The study of soundscape
is the subject of acoustic ecology. The idea of soundscape refers to both the
natural acoustic environment, consisting of natural sounds, including animal
vocalizations and, for instance, the sounds of weather and other natural
elements; and environmental sounds created by humans, through musical
composition, sound design, and other ordinary human activities including
conversation, work, and sounds of mechanical origin resulting from use of
industrial technology.
Statistical Significance: Checks if a result did not occur by chance. Is there a clear measurable difference between two samples/experiments?
Stratification commonly
refers to institutionalized inequalities in power, wealth, and status between
categories of persons within a single social system
Subjects are the participants in an experiment.
Survey is an investigation to obtain a collection of data and measures in order to create a mapping or model. it is a tool to obtain feedback from a sample. Questionnaires and interviews are 2 types of survey.
Subjects are the participants in an experiment.
Survey is an investigation to obtain a collection of data and measures in order to create a mapping or model. it is a tool to obtain feedback from a sample. Questionnaires and interviews are 2 types of survey.
T
Thermal comfort can be
achieved only when the air temperature, humidity and air movement are within
the specified range often referred to as the "comfort zone". is
important both for one's well-being and for productivity.
Trace Measures are records. They are the physical traces that remain after an interaction - just like a detective, the behavioral scientists use trace measures to to study this interaction. Example: Deterioration of a the lawn in a park reveal the informal use of an area of the park. another example of trace measures are graffiti, a record of the gangs activities of a neighborhood.
Trace Measures are records. They are the physical traces that remain after an interaction - just like a detective, the behavioral scientists use trace measures to to study this interaction. Example: Deterioration of a the lawn in a park reveal the informal use of an area of the park. another example of trace measures are graffiti, a record of the gangs activities of a neighborhood.
Transitional spaces are
spaces that are in between the dedicated and often designed spaces of home and
work etc. They are the spaces through which we pass as we are living our lives,
and they are often called Third spaces. They include porches, lobbies, gazebos,
gathering spaces at a wide section of sidewalk etc. They are often not designed
per se, but can be crucial for the quality of life.
Transitional spaces can also
be defined as “emotional, Intellectual and spiritual play and experiment in
which children reconcile the external world with their developing ego" -
D.W. Winnicott
U
Unconscious (noun): the part
of mental life that does not ordinarily enter the individual's awareness yet
may influence behavior and perception or be revealed (as in slips of the tongue
or in dreams)
Urbanism: the way of life of people who live in
a large city.
V
Validity: ask the question: Is it measuring
what it claims to be measuring?
Variables are, in an experiment, the elements that are manipulated, compared and controlled. Variables vary.
Independent variable : what is altered by the experimenter
Variables are, in an experiment, the elements that are manipulated, compared and controlled. Variables vary.
Independent variable : what is altered by the experimenter
Dependent variable : the variable that is affected, the consequence or outcome of the manipulation (Sommers and Sommers
Extraneous variables are the variables that unrelated to the experiment and can disruptive. It is important to limit them as much as possible when setting up an experiment.
Extraneous variables are the variables that unrelated to the experiment and can disruptive. It is important to limit them as much as possible when setting up an experiment.
A Vernacular Landscape is a cultural landscape that evolved
through use by the people whose activities or occupancy shaped that landscape.
Through social or cultural attitudes of an individual, family or a community,
the landscape reflects the physical, biological, and cultural character of
those everyday lives.
W
Wayfinding encompasses
all of the ways in which people and animals orient themselves in physical space
and navigate from place to place. Historically, wayfinding refers to the
techniques used by travelers over land and sea to find relatively unmarked and
often mislabeled routes.
