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An application of ecological methods in community psychology: Assessing the functioning of an innercity park
Author(s) -
Holahan Charles J.,
Bell Keith F.
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
journal of community psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.585
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1520-6629
pISSN - 0090-4392
DOI - 10.1002/1520-6629(197810)6:4<309::aid-jcop2290060403>3.0.co;2-0
Subject(s) - recreation , geography , psychology , environmental planning , ecology , biology
The purpose of this paper is to discuss a case study involving an application of ecological methods in community psychology practice. The study evolved in response to a request to community psychologists from a City Department of Parks for an evaluation of the functioning of a new innercity park. The study's findings afforded support for the park's effectiveness in terms of the city's objectives. Comparison with an environmentally similar park peripheral to the central city demonstrated that the new innercity park was characterized by more balanced usage across racial and age groups, more group socializing, and more active recreational use.