Herbert Schroeder
Research Social Scientist
Northern Research Station
USDA Forest Service
1033 University Place, Suite 360
Evanston, IL 60201-3172
Phone: (847) 866-9311 x15
Website: www.ncrs.fs.fed.us/people/Schroeder
Biographical Statement:
Most of my research has looked in one way or another at how people experience outdoor environments, with a particular focus on the role of trees and other natural features in people's experience. Some of my research has used quantitative methods to measure people's perceptions of environments and to model the effect of specific features (e.g., numbers and sizes of trees) on environmental preferences. I have also used qualitative, open-ended surveys to identify the experiences, meanings, and values that people associate with outdoor places that are special to them. In addition, I have written summaries and syntheses of approaches for understanding the intangible, hard-to-define values and experiences that people associate with nature (e.g., spiritual values). Currently, I am synthesizing concepts and methods from phenomenological and experiential psychology into a framework for understanding and working with experiential values of natural environments.
Publications related to Conservation Psychology:
Schroeder, H.W. (2004). Special Places in the Lake Calumet Area. USDA Forest Service, North Central Research Station, General Technical Report GTR-NC-249.
Schroeder, H. W. (2002). Experiencing nature in special places. Journal of Forestry, 100(5), 8-14.
Schroeder, H. W. (2000). The restoration experience: Volunteers' motives, values, and concepts of nature. In P. H. Gobster & R. B. Hull (Eds.), Restoring nature: Perspectives from the social sciences and humanities (pp. 247-264). Washington, DC: Island Press.
Schroeder, H. W. (1996). Psyche, nature, and mystery: Some psychological perspectives on the values of natural environments. In B.L. Driver, et al. (Eds.), Nature and the human spirit: Toward an expanded land management ethic (pp. 81-95). State College, PA: Venture Publishing.
Schroeder, H.W. (1996). Ecology of the heart: Understanding how people experience natural environments. In A.W. Ewert (Ed.), Natural Resource Management: The Human Dimension (p. 13-28). Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
Research Interests:
How people experience nature
What kinds of perceptions and preferences people have regarding natural environments, the kinds of experiences and meanings that people associate with natural environments and places, and the values that people hold toward particular kinds of environments as well as toward nature in general
Professional Affiliations:
Environmental Design Research Association
International Association for Society and Natural Resources
Society for Human Ecology
The Focusing Institute
Northwestern University (adjunct)
