ABSTRACT
E n v i r o n m e n t a l psychology, a n d the f i e l d o f e n v i r o n m e n t - b e h a v i o r studies (EBS) m o r e generally, examine the d y n a m i c transactions between people a n d the i r everyday, soc iophysica l e n v i r o n m e n t s (Bechtel , 1997; Proshansky, I t telson, & R i v l i n , 1976). These everyday envi ronments i n c l u d e people 's h o m e s , n e i g h b o r h o o d s , w o r k , a n d c o m m u n i t y settings. I n k e e p i n g w i t h L e w i n ' s (1936) action research o r i e n t a t i o n , research i n e n v i r o n m e n t a l psychology integrates the sc ient i f ic goals o f analyzing a n d e x p l a i n i n g the nature o f p e o p l e - e n v i r o n m e n t transactions, w i t h the more pract ica l goal o f enhancing-even o p t i m i z i n g — p e o p l e ' s r e l a t i o n s h i p s w i t h t h e i r s u r r o u n d i n g s t h r o u g h effective strategies o f u r b a n p l a n n i n g a n d e n v i r o n m e n t a l des ign (cf., S tokols , 1978; W e i s m a n , 1983).
