Environmental Perception and Phenomenology: Possibilities of Method Adaptation and Some Examples of Researches

Abstract

The influences of Phenomenology on environmental perception studies are widely recognized, although the use of the phenomenological method in applied researches still constitutes a focus of debate, given the necessary adaptations from the philosophical field to the empirical field. However, the richness of this method for investigations that seek to know the subjective aspect of the relationship between humans and the environment is unquestionable. Based on this premise, this article aims at discussing and demonstrating the possibilities of conducting perceptive environmental research based on the use of the phenomenological method, as well as considering its articulation with conventional qualitative research techniques. Thus, after a brief theoretical context, the design of the method and its adaptations, the trajectory of research and the results obtained in research exercises conducted under the guidance of the author are presented.