Brigham Young University BYU ScholarsArchive Theses and Dissertations 1976 The Image of Provo, Utah, as Seen Through the Perceptions of its Residents J. Larry Murdock Brigham Young University - Provo Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd Part of the Geography Commons, Mormon Studies Commons, and the Sociology Commons BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Murdock, J. Larry, "The Image of Provo, Utah, as Seen Through the Perceptions of its Residents" (1976). Theses and Dissertations. 4971. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/4971 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. 1THEI IMAGE OF PROVO UTAH AS SEEN THROUGH THE perceptions OF ITS RESIDENTS A thesis presented to the department of geography brigham young university in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree master of science by J larry murdock april 1961976 this thesis by J larry murdock is accepted in its present form by the department of geography of brihanbrihambrigham young university as satisfying the thesis requirement for the decreedegree of master of science 4 aq M richard H jacksjaeksjacksonnnqcfnitteeuopmittee chairman 77. flokfiokfloylioydlloydd BR ludmanhudmanhudmanbudmancommittee member z ina date in5 robertlroberti ii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TAMESTABLES vi LIST OF illustrations viii MJ1jtt 41 ackncwl7ajdgacknowledgmentsris 0 4 ix chapter le1 introduction 1 2 types of perception studies 4 0 6 0 4 resident knowledge of cities 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 mental mapping 5.5 6 method of study 0 0 analysis of the data 9 REVIEW OF THE 0 0 0 0 14 220 literature 0 ft 0 0 0 0 introduction 9 9 14 studiesstucStudliesllesiles of perception of cities 0 9 15 major published perception studies ofL cities 21 2 other perception studies of cities 0 0 27 Ssummary e 0 e 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 272 AND 3sas3 environmental perception mid BEHAVIOR 0 0 0 28 nature of perception 0 0 0 28 perceptionperce Ption vs attitude 29 how people see 30 visual illusions 31 general perception 32 perception by people 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 a 0 & 33 perception of cities 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 36 summary a 0 0 it 0 it 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 38 4 PART IPROVOSI1 PROVOS GENERAL characteristics AS PERCEIVED BY RESIDENISRESIDENTS 0 a 0 0 a 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 39 provo major elements symbolic of 0 0 0 0 40 provo ap in a physical sense 0 1p 0 0 0 0 it 0 0 0 0 4 422 presentdaypresent day provo as described by residents 42 elevation of downtown provo 466 iiiillililillii map proveprovo 46 residents mental p images of 9 esidentsresidentsResidentsresidents1esiesldents 1 mental map images of university avenue 58 provo city boundaries 61 summary p9pa 1T 0 0 0 0 9 4 for partrt I 0 0 0 65 PART II11 PROWSPROVCSprovos VISUAL elewELEMELEMENTSTS AS PERCEIVEPERCEIVEDED BY DRT 0 0 0 0 r03RESIDENTSI1 TS 0 0 0 0 70 major buildings 70 areas of distinctdistinctivenessivenessivaness 72 landmarks 0 0 6 0 0 75 6 industrial locations q 76 proveprovo city center design 76 LDS temple design a 79 proveprovo river and olty development 81 parks 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 83 proveprovo development of south 0 0 85 summary for part IIIT11 0 0 85 PART illliiiliIII111 looLOClocatiatLOCATIONSATIaTIS AND directions IN PROVO 91 LDS templetempietemplopio 0 0 94 proveprovo chyohycity center 0 0 94 catholic church s 95 mouth of rock canyon 95 proveprovo city cemetery 0 95 96 fox movie theater 0 0 daily herald building 97 union block or emporium 97 riverside3 countrcountryy club 98 indian hills residential area 98 summary fforor part illtiitilIIII1111 I1 1 99 5 PROVOS CENTRAL BUSINSSSBUSINESS DISTRICT 101 background and definitions 101 positive preferences for provos central business district 9 s s 102 negative feelingspeelings toward provesprovos central business district 0O f 0 ff s 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ioblob104104 major problems of provesprovos central business district 104 shopping areas chitChatoutsideside provedprovos central business district 10107 most frequently patronized stores 109log quality of merchandise selection 9 0 6 0 0 0 v 0 109log largest department store 0 0 0 0 it 0 4 0 113 effects of the university mall on shopping patterns 114 provo cityscity concern 117 summary 120 iv 606 PROVOS MAJOR f3tr3eustreetsSTREKTSlys1y3 93AS PSRCEIVED BY ESIDDRESIDDRr12sidemtsjnt3 123 major provo streets 124 streets carrying the most traffic 132 summary 0 e 0 0 a 0 13136106log 7 THE IMAGE OF provot SUMMARY AND conclusionsc0nclu y ianslonsionsi0ns 138 lynchs five major elements 139 summary 0 9 9 9 143 conclusions of the study 146 implications of the study 148 A APPENDIX 6 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 150 B APPENDIX faf9 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 156 SELECTED bibliography a 0 159 v LIST OF TABLES 1 percent of respondents listing provos symbolic elements by location religion age and length of residence t 41 2 percent of respondents stating major phyphysical7 acal1caldealcharacte- ristics of provo by location religion age and length of residence t 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 43 3 percent of respondents describing the presentdaypresent day situ- ation of proveprovo by location religion age and length of residence 44 4 percent of respondents listing provos elevation by location age and length of residence 47 5 percent of respondents listing major visualized areas on each proveprovo sketch map excluding Streetstreetssp by location Ro age ligionreligion and length of residence 0 0 a 0 55 6 percent of respondents listing major sites along univer- sity avenue excluding crossing streets by location religion age and length of residence 0 0 it 0 0 40 0 59 7 percent of respondents listing provos north and north- east city boundaries by location religion age and length of residence 62 8 percent of respondents listing provos W st boundary by location religreligionbontionglongiont age and length of residence 66 9 percent of respondents listing major architectural or historical buildings in provo by location beilbellreligionReli ionlon age and length of residence t a t t t 0 e 711 10 percent of respondents listing distinctive areas or features of provo by location reilreligionReligiong age and length of residence 0 0 0 0 0 0O fo 73 11 percent of respondents listing major provo landmarks by location religion age and length of residence 0 744 12 percent of respondents listing locations of provo indus- trial areas by location religion age and length of residence 0 0 0 0 it 0 0 0 0 0 0 if 9 0 0 0 9 0 77 13 percent of respondents and their views toward the design of the provo city center by location religion age and length of residence 0 9 0 9 0 9 0 0 1 0 0 78 14 percent of respondents and their views toward the design of the LDS temple by location religion age and length of residence 80 15 percent of respondents citing views toward the provo river as a barrier to development by location ageaget and length of residence 0 0 0 0 0 fsas 0 0 IF 0 0 0 4 0 0 10 0 82 16 percent of respondents listing provo parks by location t 84 17 percent of respondentrespondents views toward the development of south provo by location beilreligionReligiono akeageakey and length of residence 41 0 0 t 0 t 0 0 0 87 vi 18 percent of respondents giving addresses for ten spe- cific provo locations s 93 19 percent of respondents listinglisiigliswig raonreasonss theytay likedLiked tthehe provo central business district by location kaemaeage and length of residence 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ky 0 av&v 103 20 percent of respondents listing reasons they disliked the proveprovo central business district by location religion age and length of residence 105 21 percent of respondents listing major problems of the provo central business district by location religion loo106100log age and length of residence 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 0 0 0 to 0 22 percent of respondents listing shopping centers by loca- tion religion age and length of residence 0 0 0 108 23 percent of respondents listing stores normallyno rallynallymally shopped by location religion age and length of residence 110 24 percent of respondents rating the merchandise selection in provo stores by location religion age and length of residence 0 0 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 it 0 4 112 25 percent of respondents rating proveprovo department stores by sizesizqsizeslee by location religion age and length of residence 0 0 0 0 0 0 IF 0 v 4 0 0 to 0 0 0 0 115 26 percent of respondents listing effects of the university mall shopping center by location religion age and 0 fo 116 length of residence 4 0 0 0 & 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 272 percent of respondents listing major proveprovo streets as drawn and labeled on proveprovo sketch maps by location agaageago and length of residence 0 0 0 t 0 0 6 0 125 28 percent of respondents listing major prolroprooropro ro streets from their perceptions by location ageaget ani length of 127 residence 0 0 0 it 11 0 0 9 a 0 0 0 0 0 9 0 e 0 29 percent of respondents listing provo streets believed to carry the most traffic by location age and length of residence 0 0 0 a 0 0 0 0 0 0 fsas 0 0 0 P 0 133 30 provo streets carrying the most traffic with respondents perceived order contrasted with actual order 135 vii LIST OF illustrations map prevoprovo map 11 1 city street t 0 0 0 s 0 t 0 al1l 2 proveprovo census tracts and the thesis study regions 12 3tat3 mental map of proveprovo drawn by male resident 455445 54 yearbyearsyearbars of age 0 0 q 0 0 0 0 0 t 0 0 49 4 mental map of proveprovo drawn by female resident 354435