The effect of color on the perceived scenic beauty of pine-oak plots in the Ouachita National Forest, Arkansas /
This study determined how variation in the visibility of
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| Format: | Thesis Book |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
[Place of publication not identified] :
[publisher not identified] ;
1994.
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://proxy.library.tamu.edu/login?url=http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=741945671&sid=1&Fmt=2&clientId=2945&RQT=309&VName=PQD |
| Summary: | This study determined how variation in the visibility of green, blue, yellow, and brown color in mixed pine-hardwood forests affected perceptions of scenic beauty, and how season of the year and silvicultural treatment affected these colors. The study was conducted on 20 plots located in the Ouachita National Forest in Arkansas. The plots differed in the volume of hardwood that was retained after silvicultural treatment. Students rated the scenic beauty of 340 color slides of the plots on ten-point scales. Raw ratings were then transformed into Scenic Beauty Estimations (SBE's) Three judges independently rated each slide for the visibility of green, blue, yellow, and brown. These ratings were transformed into Color Visibility Estimations (CVE's). To determine the effect of color on scenic beauty, SBE was regressed on the four CVE'S. Greater green visibility was associated with higher SBE'S, while greater brown visibility was associated with lower SBE'S. Blue visibility detracted from scenic beauty, while yellow enhanced it. The impact of green and brown on scenic beauty is consistent with the biophilia and biophobia hypotheses. These hypotheses predict that, because of evolutionary processes, humans will be attracted to natural landscapes containing mostly green vegetation because these promise food, water, and other basic survival needs. However, humans will be repelled from scenes containing mostly brown vegetation because these do not satisfy basic survival needs. Season had a significant impact on color visibility. Green was most visible in summer, whereas brown was most visible during winter. The highest blue visibility ratings occurred in winter and spring, probably because there was less foliage to screen blue sky during these seasons. Yellow was most visible in the fall, most likely due to autumn leaf-color change in hardwoods. Silvicultural treatment did not affect green or brown visibility. However, blue was most visible in plots with all hardwoods suppressed. Again, this effect probably relates to the lesser screening of blue sky under some treatments. Yellow's greatest visibility occurred in plots with larger volumes of hardwoods. Unlike pine foliage, hardwood foliage changes color in, the fall, probably accounting for the higher yellow visibility in plots with greater amounts of hardwoods. |
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| Item Description: | Vita. "Major Subject: Recreation and Resources Development". |
| Physical Description: | xv, 133 leaves : illustrations ; 28 cm. Issued also on microfiche from University Microfilms Inc. |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references. |