DOCUMENT RESUME ED 063 998 RC 006 215 AUTHOR Trenty Faith lielen Elly TITLE Cultural Differences in Spatial Perception of the Fnvironment Among children 10-17 Years Old in the Whitehorse Area. PUB DATE Dec 71 NOTE 156p. AVAILABLE FROMMrs. Faith Trent, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby 2, British Columbia ($5.00) EDAS PRICE MF-$0.65 HC Not Available from EDRS. DESCRIPTORS *American Indians; *Cultural Factors; Maps; Minority Groups; *Perception; *Physical Environment; Recognition; Tables (Data) ;*Urban Areas; Urban Youth IDENTIFIEPS Whitehorse; Yukon Trritory ABSTRACT Two cultures, Indian and non-Indian, in the urban environment of Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, were examined in this study. The nurpose was to find what differences, if any, occur in the groups' perceptions of the urban milieu and to isolate factors which do or do not influence these perceptions. Using cognitive mapping and photograph recognition techniques, the differences which were found were analyzed using chi-square and analyses of variancetechniques. Although a.Ll 66 subjects of ages 10-17 had access to the same areas, places of importance for each group differed. Using the Appleyard classification, the Indian group produced predominantly 3pacial maps, while the non-Indian maps -Tere predominantly sequential. [Not available in hard copy due to marginal legibility of original document.] (Author/PS) FILMED FROM BEST AVAILABLE COPY U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. EDUCATION & WELFARE OFFICLI Or EDUCATION THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REPRO- DUCED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROM THE PERSCN OR ORGANIZATION ORIG- INATING 17. POINTS OF VIEW OR OPIN- IONS STATED DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT OFFICIAL OFFICE OF EDU- CATION POSITION OR POLICY -\\ CULTURALDIFFERENCES INSPATIAL LjT-Lar.\\10 EB241971 AMONG 5-1 PERCEPTION OFTHE ENVIRONMENT °.\ NUSU y -c?/>, yR CHILDREN 10.17YEARS OLD INTHE WHITEHORSE AREA by Faith Helen EllyTrent B,Sco, Universityof Sydney,1967 A THESIS SUBMITTEDIN PARTIALFULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTSFOR THE DEGREEOF MASTER OF ARTS in the Department of Geography FAITH HELEN ELLYTRENT SIMON FRASERUNIVERSITY December 1971 "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTEDMity%4%.41st ()Ali By Faith Trent TO ERIC AND ORGANIZATIONS OPERATING UNDER AGREEMENTS WITH THE U.S. OFFICE Of EDUCATION. FURTHER REPRODUCTION OUTSIDE THE ERIC SYSTEM REQUIRES PERMISSION OF THE COPYRIGHT OWNER." APPROVAL Name: Faith Holl Elly Trent Degree: Master of Arts Title of Thesis: Culture] Differences in Spatial Perception of the Environment Among Children 10-17 years old in the Examining Committee: Whitehorse Area I. Chairman : N. C. Kellman R.B. Horsfall, Senior Supervisor E.M. Gson, Ph.D. Examining Committee R.C. Brown, Ph.D. Examining Committee R. Seaton, Ph.D External Examiner Professor Academic Planning University of British Columbia Date Approved: Decenber, 1971 ABSTRACT It is generally assumedthat dif?erent culturesperceive the world indifferent ways. This assumption has remained untested in most cases. This study examinestwo cultures--Indianand non-Indian The in the urbanenvironment of Whitehorse,Yukon Territory. purpose is tofind what differences,if any, occur in thegroups' perceptions of the urbanmilieu and to isolatefactors which do or do notinfluence theseoerceptions. Using cognitive mapping and photographrecognition techniques, thedifferences which were found wereanalysed, using chi-squareand analyses of variance techniques. Although all 66 subjects of agesl0-3.7 had access to the same areas,places of importance for each group differed. Using the Appleyardclassification, the Indian group producedpredominately spatial maps, whilethe non-Indian mars werepredominately sequential. iii 3 ACKNOWLEDGMENT There are two people without whom this thesis, which has had its convoluted periods, would never have been finished. One is my husband, David, who during our strange and alcoholic courtship helped with setting up the research, and has since continually challenged and excited new ideas, as well as tolerated my outburats. (He also drew the maps.) The other is my senior supervisor, Bob Horsfall, who with patience and enthusiasm most of the time, put up mith mood changes and frustrations, and spent many hours helping and guiding me. Neither of them will ever know how much I love end appreciate them. Heartfelt thanks are also due to the rest of the Geography department in general, and the members of my committee in particular for the help, kindnes3, learning environment and good times. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS. Page vi List of figures andof maps...Iloilo Tables.OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 1110 vii CHAPTER I - INTRODUCTION ANDREVIEW OF LITERATURE Introduction..OOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 3 ReviewProblem. of Literature 3 Footnotes.0 17 CHAPTER II . THE STUDY . HYPOTHESES,SITE AND METHODS The Study 21 Hypotheses. 21 21 The Site 33 Indian, Non-Indian Use Patterns. School System. 35 Sample CommunxtvOOOOOOOO OOOOO 38 Data Collection 41 Methods of Statistical Analysis. s 6 46 Footnotes 47 CHAPTER III - RESULTS Classificatinn ofData 51 Results 52 FootnoteS 87 CHAPTER IV-CONCLUSIONS11AND SUGGESTIONS FOR THE FUTURE Conclusions 89 A 91 Limitations of Classification Limitations of the Sample 91 Discussion of Results. 00.0111100.0.000.0.00.1000.0.00. 92 Footnotes_ allto 101 ADDITIONA L REFFRENCES 103 Appendix A 109 116 Appendix 8... 0 a 118 Appendix C. 0 lio 0 . ir Appendix D - 126 Appendix E 129 V LIST OF MAPS ANDFIGURES Page 22 Map 1. Whitehorse, Yukon .Situation Map.,.******,.. 23 Map 2. Whitehorse and Environs .Site Map.... City of Whitehorseand Adjacent Residential Map 3. 25 Map 4. Whitehorse Down-TownArea..., 29 45 Map 5. Places Identified inPhotographic Test........, Fig. i Subject'sMap... Fig. 1i Subject's Map. 65 vi LIST OF TABLES Page Table 40 1 Sample and PopulationCharacteristics... .......... 54 2 Landmarks used in comparisonof Maps 3 Map versus PhotographInclusions Compared with Respect to Age of Subject. ***** .................. 55 4 Map versus PhotographInclusions Compared with Respect to Sex of Subject.. .......... OOOOOOOOO 56 5 Map end PhotographInclusions for 12-13 Age Group ............. OOOOO ........................... 58 6a Map and Photograph Inclusionsof Female Subjects.. 59 6b Map and Photograph Inclusionsof Male Subjects.... 59 7 Map and Photograph Inclusions forIndian/Non- Indian Residence Areas 60 8 Analysis of number of PhotographInclusions with Respect to Residence 61 9 Analysis of number of Map Inclusionswith Respect to Residence. ..................................... 62 10 Number of persons including landmarksin maps for Indian/non-Indian subjects........................ 67 11 Areas or Landmarks PredominantlyRecalled by Indian/non-Indian Subjects ........................ 68 12 Appleyard Classification - Major Classes .......... 72 13 Appleyard Classification - Minor Subtypes ......... 73 14 Map Type forIndian/non-Indian Group.,............ 74 15 Occurrence of Three DimensionalDrawing in Maps with Respect to Indian/non-IndianSubjects........ 76 16 Places shown in Photographs sesso.........,......., 77 17 Number of Places Correctly Includedin Photograph Location Test.................. 79 v i Table Page 18 Photograph Inclusions for Indian Subjects. oseollosos 80 19 Map Place Inclusions versus Residence length for Indian/non-Indian Groups........................ 81 20 Photograph Place Inclusions versus Residence length for Indian/non-Indian Groups,.........,.. 82 21 Averane time in Minutes taken for Map Drawing and Photograph Recognition Tasks for Indian and non. Indian Subjects 84 viii CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION AND REVIEW OF LITERATURE Man has continuously and at an accelerated rate changed and modified his physical environment. Much of the change has taken place without any unifying concept of the total new environment which is being created or without thought ofthe effect of the change on the society which is exposedto it. Town planning has, until recently, been of the few,bythe few, for the few, and there has been little awareness of the impact of its implementation on diverse groups in thecommunity.1 Of late, however, there has been increasing interest(in the fields of psychology, education, sociology endgeography) in the role of the physical environment. The consideration of how end why man reacts to his environment has produced aspate of research into delinquency, effective teachingmethods, per- ception and spatial reorganizations a great deal still remains to be learned about how individuals interactwith their physical surroundings and how the organization ofte space around them is perceived. Much of the work that has beeR done inthis area has involved adults who seem to be singularlyhomogeneous in age, background, occupation and income level. Since very few com- munities exhibit this high degree of homogeneity, itwould appear desirable to ascertainhow groups of differing back- grounds are affected by the space around them. Also,.since in 1. 2. the field of urbanstud'es the main accenthas been on adults 2 in the community (despite the fact that more than50% of the population is under21), consideration should be given to the needs of those in the younger age group. With regard to this under 21 group, ameaningful environ- ment based on understanding of what achild perceives as rele- vent and important in his surroundingsshould be considerJd as part of an effectiveeducational experience. Such an experience should build on the relationship ofthe child to his surround- ings and what he perceives, ratherthan on what the educator feels he should react to and perceive. That this is becoming