This film was made at the time of Professor Leanne Rivlin’s retirement in 2007.   As an originator of the field of Environmental Psychology she speaks of core concepts with the gentle authority of one who was there at their formation.   “Freedom of Choice” is one of those core concepts–a concept which was “carved out” [as she puts it] by moving out of laboratory-based research onto the messiness of everyday life.   “Privacy” and “Place Attachment” are other core concepts.  This move into the everyday parallels a shift from cause and effect hypothesis-testing towards a greater interest in understanding and meaning.  Professor Rivlin contributed to the evolution of field research methods and ethics including Behavioral Mapping, Historical Grounding and Participatory Action Research.  In the film she interacts with program graduates over public space, homelessness and mental hospitals, as well as her own home and office, drawing lessons from her nearly 50 years of research.   “You have to immerse yourself,” she says.   The film is intended to show her doing just that, actively engaged in the world, actively challenging conventional wisdom.   The film is intended also as something of a record of a joyful full-day event celebrating Professor Rivlin’s career attended by many alumni, faculty colleagues and graduate students at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. Roberta Degnore and Meredith Theeman also contributed significantly to the project. It should also be said that Leanne Rivlin did not care to have attention drawn to herself.   

There are two versions of this film: the short version (29 mins) available below, and the full film (90 mins), also available on this website. Both versions are available for free, but we ask you to consider making a donation to the ‘History of Environmental Psychology’ Fund before watching by clicking the donate button below.

-David Chapin