A Study on Cognitive Factors for the Landscape Preference

경관선호도의 인지인자에 관한 연구

The objective of this study is to test the applicability of the Information processing model suggested by Kaplan to the preferences of Korean people as well as to investigate the preference patterns of Korean people and the influencing factors on Korean preferences for the landscape. Photo - questionnaire survey was conducted twice to collect the data concerning the landscape preferences. The samples of the first survey were selected from the citizens of Seoul and the students of Seoul National University. The first survey focused on the preference patterns of Korean people while the emphasis of the second survey was given to the test of information processing model and the influencing factors on the preferences of Korean people. The samples of second survey were also selected from the students of Seoul National University. The photos in the photo - questionnaire for the first survey included the scenes representing both three landscape styles(Korean, Japanese and Western styles)and three landscape qualities such as the layout of space, the use of landscape plants and the use of stones and rocks. For the second survey, four informational factors such as complexity, coherence, legibility and mystery were selected for inclusion in the photos of photo - questionnaire. Respondents for both survey were asked to respond their preferences on the five - point Likers scale. The results of the study suggested that four informational factors influence significantly the preferences of Korean students. The study indicated that both the citizens of Seoul and the students of Seoul National University prefer water and vegetation to rock among the contents of landscape. Among the landscape styles, Japanese landscape style was most preferred and Western landscape style was more preferred than Korean traditional landscape style. In addition to informational factors, it was found that the contents of landscape and landscape style were also major influencing factors on the landscape preferences. The socio - economic backgrounds of respondents such as age, foreign travel experience, income, residency before the age 14, familiarity and respondent's experties in landscape architecture seemed to Influence the landscape preferences.