The uses, validity, and reliability of perceived environmental quality indicators

Abstract

Perceived environmental quality indicators (PEQIs) rely on direct analysis of public preferences regarding the state of their environment. PEQIs can be useful policy inputs because they broaden the base of values considered and can increase the accountability of government. PEQIs are more relevant in the areas of aesthetics, environmental amenities, and recreation than in cases where there are major ecological or human health consequences. A large variety of PEQI techniques may be chosen within the general categories of descriptive assessments, preferential judgments, and evaluative appraisals. PEQIs must be carefully designed and implemented to minimize their inherent problems of validity, reliability, and susceptibility to instrumental, informational, hypothetical, and strategic bias. The article surveys some of the key problems of PEQIs in this regard.