PERCEPTIONAL APPROACH IN SOCIAL-GEOGRAPHICAL RESEARCH OF THE URBAN SPACE (ON THE EXAMPLE OF LVIV)

Abstract

The color perception and evaluation of the attitude of the student youth towards 20 territorial parts of Lviv urban space were analyzed. The importance of the studentification for the functional transformation of urban space was emphasized. A technique developed by the Swiss psychologist M. Lusher was used to research the color perception of urban space. An electronic poll of 205 students was conducted, the results of which were analyzed in three age categories. The study found a low coefficient of asymmetry in the responses and determined a minimum threshold for a unique interpretation of the “color” of the area. A mental map of the color perception of Lviv was performed, which distinguishes areas dominated by the perception of the same color, the combination of two colors, the indistinct distribution, as well as the positive, negative and uncertain attitude of students towards them. Warm colors (yellow, green, red) were found to relate mainly to the areas of study, dwelling, and the most frequent location of the students, as well as to the desired places of residence. Black and gray colors dominate in the perception of industrial and transport-industrial districts of Lviv, which received negative opinions. The results of the study can be used in the process of adaptive transformation (according to student needs) of Lviv urban space and in specificating the paradigm of its development. In particular, according to the poll, a large part of Lviv has negative or uncertain attitude, thus its further functional transformation must take into account the needs of student youth. Colored association with territorial parts of the city may also be used for creation of verbal urbal images and formulation of relevant geospatial metaphors.