ABSTRACT
In the previous chapters the focus has been on the relatively direct and mechanistic effects of the physical environment on behaviour, affect and mental health. In the next two chapters the focus moves away from classical environmental and social psychology towards a focus on the potential influence of meaning and process. In this chapter we shall also explore the controversy surrounding the relationship between different housing types and mental health. The example of the high-rise flat is used to demonstrate how the symbolic aspects of the environment may affect mental health alongside the more mechanistic consequences of the environment.
