Environmental Issues

Article Palmer, James and Robin Hoffman. 2000. Rating reliability and representation validity in scenic landscape assessments. Suny College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Landscape and Urban Planning 54, 149-161.

Problem Statement
The validity of an expert testimony must be substantiated by scientific findings. The problem however, is the nature of aesthetic judgment itself. What separates the layman from the professional (in the field of landscape assessments) is never clear from the standpoint of legal procedures.

Significance of the Problem
Visual landscape assessments must be accompanied by tests of reliability and validity. Validity and reliability determines the overall efficacy of a finding when presented in court. The US Supreme Court determined that an assessment can only be admitted as testimony if 1) it can be tested, 2) subjected to peer review and published, 3) ability to control parameters, and 4) acceptance by the relevant scientific community.

Literature
Unit of analysis is generally microscopic, in the sense that current literature on this topic is essentially differential.  Different authors have different views of methods, methodology, mode of analysis, etc.

Method
Calculating reliability coefficients can be achieved by clear reference to statistical procedures. Some of the methods used are ANOVA, matrix determination, and group mean measurements (for validity). A Likert scale is used to assess the actual response of the samples (it was not mentioned the number of samples).

Implications
The implications are quite clear. One can clearly see the standardization of visual assessment in terms of methodology. Another is the systematization of the process of admitting findings in a court of law.

Critique
Barriers to reliability and validity may also be internal. Measuring across-group differences are not enough to resolve the issues involved. The researchers may need to develop a more holistic approach in dealing with such problems.