Kyttä, M, 2003, Children in outdoor contexts, Helsinki University of Technology,
- Author : Kyttä, M
- Year : 2003
- Publisher : Helsinki University of Technology
- ISBN : 951-22-6858-2
- Pages : 120
- Abstract : ABSTRACT(from http://lib.tkk.fi/Diss/2003/isbn9512268736/):According to James J. Gibson, the concept of the affordance refers to the functionally significant properties of the environment, and provides a psychologically relevant means to analyze evolving child-environment relationships. Affordances operationalize the transactional approach. Thus the concept allows researchers to bring the material environment back into the realm of environmental psychology. The framework of ecological perceptual psychology, and in particular the concept of the affordance, was utilized in determining the criteria for child-friendly environments. An assessment model for a child-friendly environment was constructed, which comprises two central criteria for environmental child friendliness: children's possibilities for independent mobility and their opportunities to actualize affordances. By combining various degrees of these two criteria, four hypothetical types of environment were distinguished, Bullerby, Wasteland, Cell, and Glasshouse. The Bullerby type represents a child-friendly environment, as it allows a positive interactive cycle to develop between a child and the environment. In the Bullerby type sufficient possibilities for independent mobility enables to a child to discover environmental affordances. Actualized affordances for their part motivate the child to move around more in the environment, which creates more possibilities for new affordances to become actualized. The empirical results from the study of eight- and nine-year-old children indicated that the developed model was sensitive enough to assess the child friendliness of different communities in Finland and Belarus (Belorussia). All hypothesized environmental types appeared in the data. Each neighborhood had a unique combination of affordances and independent mobility in terms of the model. The Bullerby type of setting abounded in the Finnish communities. The Cell, Wasteland, and Glasshouse types of environment were the most common in the Belorussian data. In general, the proportion of Bullerby-type settings decreased and that of Glasshouse-type settings increased as the degree of urbanization rose.
- Comments : KEYWORDS: affordances, ecological psychology, children, child-friendly environment, Bullerby model. Dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. This publication is downloadable, http://lib.tkk.fi/Diss/2003/isbn9512268736/). Overview in PDF format (ISBN 951-22-6873-6) [1853 KB] Dissertation is also available in print (ISBN 951-22-6858-2)