The Relationship between Perceptions and Objective Measures of Greenness

Joy L. Hart, Ray A. Yeager, Daniel W. Riggs, Daniel Fleischer, Ugochukwu Owolabi, Kandi L. Walker, Aruni Bhatnagar and Rachel J. Keith ()
Additional contact information
Joy L. Hart: Department of Communication, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292, USA
Ray A. Yeager: Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, USA
Daniel W. Riggs: Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, USA
Daniel Fleischer: Hyphae Design Laboratory, Oakland, CA 94607, USA
Ugochukwu Owolabi: Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, USA
Kandi L. Walker: Department of Communication, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292, USA
Aruni Bhatnagar: Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, USA
Rachel J. Keith: Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, USA

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 23, 1-17

Abstract: Exposure to greenness has been studied through objective measures of remote visualization of greenspace; however, the link to how individuals interpret spaces as green is missing. We examined the associations between three objective greenspace measures with perceptions of greenness. We used a subsample (n = 175; 2018–2019) from an environmental cardiovascular risk cohort to investigate perceptions of residential greenness. Participants completed a 17-item survey electronically. Objective measurements of greenness within 300 m buffer around participants home included normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), tree canopy and leaf area index. Principal component analysis reduced the perceived greenspaces to three dimensions reflecting natural vegetation, tree cover and built greenspace such as parks. Our results suggest significant positive associations between NDVI, tree canopy and leaf area and perceived greenness reflecting playgrounds; also, associations between tree canopy and perceived greenness reflecting tree cover. These findings indicate that the most used objective greenness measure, NDVI, as well as tree canopy and leaf area may most align with perceptions of parks, whereas tree canopy alone captures individuals’ perceptions of tree cover. This highlights the need for research to understand the complexity of green metrics and careful interpretation of data based on the use of subjective or objective measures of greenness.

Keywords: perceptions of greenness; normalized difference vegetation index; tree canopy; leaf area index (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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