The use of eye-tracking in landscape perception research

The European Landscape Convention defines landscape as "an area, as perceived by people, whose character is the result of the action and interaction of natural and/or human factors" [Council of Europe 2000]. This definition puts people in the core of the landscape and makes them part of it while observing the landscape. In addition, the Convention emphasizes that landscape is an important public interest which determines a part of the quality of life for people everywhere. Consequently, an active participation of the public in landscape planning and management is strongly stimulated [Council of Europe 2000]. Regarding these statements, it would be beneficial to gain insights into people's observation and perception of landscapes to be able to use this knowledge for landscape planning and management. So far, different landscape perception paradigms have been formulated [Scott and Benson 2002] and analyzed using questionnaires and depth interviews. The most frequently used stimuli in these empirical researches are photographs or in situ observations [e.g. Ode et al. 2008; Palmer 2004; Tveit 2009]. Eye-tracking in combination with landscape photographs, however, offers an objective manner to measure people's observation of landscapes.