Purpose To assess the validity of a GIS measure, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), as a measure of neighborhood greenness for epidemiologic research. Methods Using remote-sensing spectral data, NDVI was calculated for a 100-m radial distance around 124 residences in greater Seattle. The criterion standard was rating of greenness for corresponding residential areas by three environmental psychologists. Pearson correlations and regression models were used to assess the association between the psychologists’ ratings of greenness and NDVI. Analyses were also stratified by residential density to assess whether the correlations differed between low and high density. Results Mean NDVI among this sample of residences was .27 (SD = 0.11; range: −.04 to .54), and the mean psychologist rating of greenness was 2.84 (SD = 0.98; range: 1 to 5). The correlation between NDVI and expert ratings of greenness was high (r = .69). The correlation was equivalently strong within each strata of residential density. Conclusions NDVI is a useful measure of neighborhood greenness. In addition to showing strong correlation with expert ratings, this measure has practical advantages including availability of data and ease of application to various boundaries which would aid in replication and comparability across studies.

Mental models guide people's perceptions, decisions, and behavior regarding environmental problems and other issues. Hence, understanding these models would aid in understanding how people perceive problems, in determining how information may be most effectively shared, and in designing strategies for behavior change. Given this need for assessment, it would be helpful to expand the repertoire of available measurement approaches. The 3CM method, based on an extended theory of cognitive maps, is proposed as a new approach to assessing people's mental models. This approach is unique in its emphasis on the notion of "ownership" of the concepts that serve as landmarks in the cognitive map. Two recently developed implementations of the approach, each suited to different contexts and purposes, are described. Preliminary results suggest that the approach meets the criteria of construct validity, of being user friendly, and of providing information complementary to that obtained using traditional measures.

Alternative patterns of residential development, going by names such as cluster housing and conservation subdivisions, opt to preserve large areas of shared outdoor space by increasing housing density on portions of the parcel. These alternative approaches arguably help preserve environmental quality, but how do they affect the people who live there? This study explored the impacts of residential density and nature areas on residents' satisfaction with their neighborhood. Survey results from 361 participants in nine different residential subdivisions showed that density and proximity to shared nature areas did not have a large impact on neighborhood satisfaction. More important were opportunities to visit nearby shared space and having views of nature from the home.

As the population in North America continues to age, long-term care facilities for housing the elderly are likely to become even more important. Because one of the primary foci of these facilities is on sustaining and enhancing quality of life while eventually helping patients and families cope with the dying process, both the physical and social environments are critical to the facilities' success and the users'