Well-being evocative places: validating the conceptual model of an evocative place based on the inter-rater reliability test

ABSTRACT

An evocative place is defined as a place that evokes emotions, memories and images. Well-being evocative places are places that enable people to recharge and feel at peace. Data about well-being evocative places and their descriptions was collected in a series of mapping experiments in Hamburg (Germany), Ames (Iowa), and Vitória (Brazil). The Conceptual Model of an Evocative Place (CMEP) was designed based on the collected data in these three cities. It conceptualizes descriptions of evocative places as expressed in words by the participants. The model stresses the value of tangible and intangible attributes of evocative places described by their characteristics, experience, senses and values. The main goal of this article is to present the CMEP and the methodology for its validation accomplished with the help of a new set of data collected in the cities of Vienna (Austria) and Grinnell (Iowa). The inter-rater reliability (IRR) test provided a framework for its validation. Two raters used newly collected data and the categories proposed in the CMEP. The content analysis and the calculated IRR served as the basis for the changes and improvements of the CMEP. The article concludes with a discussion of the main results and future research directions.

Un lieu évocateur est défini comme un lieu qui suscite de l'émotion, des souvenirs, des images. Les lieux évocateurs de bien-être sont des lieux qui permettent aux gens de se ressourcer et de se sentir en paix. Des données sur les lieux évocateurs de bien-être ainsi que leur description ont été collectées lors d'expériences cartographiques à Hambourg (Allemagne), Ames (USA, Iowa) et Vitória (Brésil). Le Modèle Conceptuel de Lieux Evocateurs (CMEP) a été conçu à partir des données collectées dans ces trois villes. Il conceptualise les descriptions de lieux évocateurs telles qu'exprimés en mots par les participants. Le modèle souligne la valeur des attributs tangibles et intangibles des lieux évocateurs, décrits par leurs caractéristiques, leurs expériences, leurs sens et leurs valeurs. Le principal objectif de cet article est de présenter le modèle CMEP et la méthodologie de validation, réalisée avec de nouvelles données recueillies dans les villes de Vienne (Autriche) et de Grinnell (USA, Iowa). Le test de concordance inter-juges (IRR) a fourni le cadre pour sa validation. Deux évaluateurs ont utilisé des nouvelles données collectées et les catégories proposées dans la modélisation CMEP. L'analyse et l'indice IRR calculé ont servi de base pour la modification et l'amélioration de la modélisation CMEP. L'article se termine par une discussion des principaux résultats et des futures directions de recherche.

KEYWORDS:

• Mapping
• well-being evocative places
• conceptual model
• inter-rater reliability test

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the students from Iowa State University Study Abroad to Vienna 2019 program and the student of the International MSc Cartography Program at Vienna Technical University for their support in data collection and mapping in 2019. Silvia Klettner, at the time is a researcher and lecturer at the Research Division Cartography, provided valuable comments on the early draft of the paper. Thank you to Maria Freeman for language improvements of this text.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Alenka Poplin

Alenka Poplin is an Associate Professor of Geoinformation Science at the Community and Regional Planning Department at Iowa State University. Her research interests include serious digital geogames, geogames for civic engagement and mapping places and emotions. Her recent publications include articles in the Computers, Environment and Urban Systems (CEUS), Journal of Cartography and Geographic Information, Journal of Urban Technology, The Cartographic Journal and others. She edited five books, the last one titled The Virtual and The Real in Planning and Urban Design: Perspectives, Practices and Applications, was published in 2018 by Routledge.

Erin Duffer

Erin Duffer holds Bachelor Degrees in Community and Regional Planning (CRP) and Environmental Studies from Iowa State University. She is currently working as a Planning Associate for the City of Onalaska in Wisconsin, USA. Her professional interests are in environmental justice, equitable city planning, and creative place making.

Georg Gartner

Georg Gartner is a Professor for Cartography and Geo-Mediatechniques at the Research Group of Cartography at the Vienna University of Technology. He served as president of the International Cartographic Association (ICA) in the term 2011-2015. He is editor of the book series Lecture Notes on Geoinformation and Cartography (Springer-Verlag) and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal on Location-based Services (Taylor & Francis). He has founded the Conference Series on Location-based Services. He was co-founder of the International Master programme on Cartography with TU München, TU Dresden and Universiteit Twente. His main research interests lie in the role of modern cartography and applying LBS and interactivity to this role.