| Reliability of geometric video imaging as a visual tool in scenic beauty assessment studies was tested by comparing computer models against photographic slides in public preference surveys. Survey participants were undergraduate students from the Departments of Forestry, Landscape Architecture, and Finance and Economics. Test imagery was obtained along the Natchez Trace Parkway of the U.S. National Park Service. The overall correlation between the two image types was 0.52. Due to low correlation, validity of the tool for scenic assessment studies was not achieved. The lack of validity, along with variability of the correlation values between participants, indicated that reliability was not achieved. Comments from participants indicated that the most limiting factors on correlation were differences between the image types concerning clouds, vegetation, and topography. Issues in the computer images included color, texture, shape, brightness, and view dimension. |
