ABSTRACT
This chapter offers examples from research conducted using factors determined to contribute to creating meaning in places based on the physical and cultural features of settings and the users' and stakeholders' wants and needs. It outlines the process of developing that understanding through an analysis of published research in geography, environmental design, resource management, and environmental psychology, focus groups, experimental testing, and analysis and evaluation. The chapter shows that how the research process was useful in getting to the core features of both setting attributes and user interests, which are essential in determining well-informed management strategies. It explores the existing research with findings from an empirical study of psychological responses that were found to help measure and validate perceptions of meaning, or sense of place, in a variety of settings. This research presents psychometric measurement tools for evaluating resources based on psychological perceptions and values and recommends management strategies that consider both individual and shared values.
