Introduction to Behavioural Geography
Dr. Tom Johnston
Johnston@uleth.ca
Room B884 UH
Office Hours: Tuesdays (9:30 to 11:30)
What is Behavioural Geography?
• An approach to understanding human
geographical behaviour
• Draws upon research findings in psychology, but
also economics, sociology and anthropology.
• Focuses on the cognitive processes underlying
spatial reasoning, decision making and
behaviour.
Things that Behavioural
Geographers Study
– Wayfinding (route selection)
– Attachment of Place
– Attitudes toward space and place
– Locational decisions
– Resource allocation decisions
Giving Directions …..
From the sixth level of University
Hall head toward University Drive.
From the University, turn right at
the new sign onto University Drive
At University Drive, turn north and
after about 500 metres, turn east
onto Whoop-up Drive
Turn right again onto Whoop-up
Drive
At the top of the hill turn north at
the first intersection onto 5th
Street
Heading north, pass through the
500 and 400 blocks and past the
intersection of 5th St. and 4th Ave.
The Penny Coffee Shop is located
at 331 5th St.
At the top of the hill at the fire
station, turn left onto 5th Street
Go through one intersection – the
Mongoli Grill will be on your lefthand side
The Penny Coffee Shop is just
past the second intersection –
kitty-corner to Lethbridge Centre
Do Men and Women
Tend to Give Directions Differently?
Gender
Female
Male
Geo-references
Iconic Word Map
What do these two examples illustrate
or tell us?
Outline
• Brief overview of the development of the
Behavioural Approach
• Three applications of the Behavioural
Approach
– Agricultural land-use decisions (land-use
theory)
– Differences in spatial skills (spatial cognition)
Behavioural Geography:
A Brief History
• Geography formalized as a discipline in 1874
• Environmental Determinism first “paradigm” to
dominate human geography
• ED rejected because …..
– Could not be verified empirically
– Too many anomalies
– Overtly racist (used to justify imperialism)
Geography and the
Regional Perspective
• Following demise of ED, the regional
perspective dominated
• Regional perspective emphasized detailed study
of specific regions, synthesizing knowledge from
many systematic disciplines
• Emphasized Areal Differentiation
According to Richard Hartshorne (1939), the
goal of geography was to …….
“provide an orderly and rational description
and interpretation of the variable character
of the earth’s surface”
NB: definition does not include any
reference to explanation, prediction,
search for laws, or empirical
verification.
Foundations for the Emergence
of the “New” Geography
• Regional perspective was not regarded as a
science
• Edward Ackerman (1945) argued that:
– During WWII many regional specialists “lacked the
competence in topical and systematic subjects”