James H. Gramann

Effects of acculturation and structural assimilation in resource-based recreation: the case of Mexican Americans.

The study examines the effects of Mexican American acculturation and structural assimilation on outdoor recreation patterns. Based on ethnic assimilation theory, we hypothesized that the greater the level of acculturation or primary structural assimilation, the more similar Mexican Americans would be to Anglo-Americans in their outdoor recreation behavior. Data to test these hypotheses came from a telephone survey of 1,057 households in Maricopa and Gila counties, Arizona. Analysis of covariance indicated that acculturation and primary structural assimilation each had impacts upon Mexican American recreation. In general, primary structural assimilation had its most apparent effects on site visitation, while acculturation was reflected most clearly in activity participation patterns.

The effect of cultural assimilation on the importance of family-related and nature-related recreation among hispanic Americans.

This paper examines the influence of Hispanic-American ethnicity on the family-related and nature-related benefits of outdoor recreation activity. Gordons ethnic assimilation theory is used as a c...

Ethnic factors and the use of public outdoor recreation areas: the case of Mexican Americans.

Abstract This study investigated the effects of subculture, marginality, and perceived discrimination on use of selected public outdoor recreation areas. The assimilation perspective from the sociology literature provided theoretical guidance for the study. These concepts were treated as different types of social distance (cultural distance, socioeconomic distance, and intergroup distance). Each was hypothesized to affect the use of outdoor recreation areas. Data for this analysis came from telephone interviews conducted with 1057 households in Maricopa and Gila counties in Arizona. The analysis was conducted using a subsample of respondents of Mexican ancestry. The results support the socioeconomic, or marginality, hypothesis. There was less support for the subcultural, or ethnicity, hypothesis. There was no support for the perceived discrimination hypothesis. Research implications and recommendations are discussed.

The Effect of Recreation Goals on Conflict Perception: The Case of Water Skiers and Fishermen.

ABSTRACTAn empirical test of a “goal interference” theory of outdoor recreation conflict is reported. According to the theory, when the behavior of one group of recreationists is incompatible with ...

The Psychological Utility of Visual Penetration in near-view Forest Scenic-Beauty Models:

Empirical studies of the perceived scenic beauty of forest settings have followed either the psychophysical or psychological traditions of environmental-perception research. Although psychophysical models of forest scenic beauty have proven useful to resource managers, they tend to lack theoretical content. On the other hand, psychological research often fails to produce results directly applicable to landscape management. This paper reports on an analysis combining the strong points of both the psychophysical and psychological approaches to environmental-preference research. Psychological theories of aesthetic response are used to deduce a variable, visual penetration, which is evaluated in psychophysical models of forest scenic beauty. Visual penetration is shown not only to be a significant positive contributor to explained variance, but also to be more important in accounting for scenic beauty evaluations than measures more typical of psychophysical models.

Goal orientation, norms, and noise‐induced conflict among recreation area users

Abstract This study evaluated Jacob and Schreyers (1980) theory of recreation conflict using data from a survey of winter visitors to Padre Island National Seashore, Texas. Jacob and Schreyer defined interpersonal conflict as goal interference attributed to the behavior of another and proposed that variations in the standards of appropriate behavior for a setting were a major source of such interference. However, their theory did not address the possibility that some goals may be more vulnerable to interference from physically obtrusive behavior than others. In this study, visitors motivated by the goal to be with people who were considerate and respectful of others were more likely to perceive interference from loud radios than were visitors motivated by the goal to be with friends and other people like themselves. We concluded from this that the more that goal achievement rests on factors beyond the direct control of the actor, the greater the actors vulnerability to goal interference. Visitors whose ...

Experience‐based setting management: Implications for market segmentation of hunters

Experience‐based setting management seeks to provide rewarding psychological experiences to recreation participants by managing the physical environments in which recreation occurs. This approach has value to private landowners who provide outdoor recreation opportunities, because it improves their ability to target and attract specific segments of the hunting population. In this study, 4 market segments of hunter were identified: outdoor enthusiasts, high‐challenge harvesters, low‐challenge harvesters, and nonharvesters. They differed significantly in the setting characteristics (accessibility, amount of regimentation, use density, presence of nonrecreational uses, and degree of site management) that enhanced their hunting enjoyment. Such differences may help agencies justify development of different service and marketing strategies to respond to client needs and preferences.

Crowding perception determinants at intensively developed outdoor recreation sites.

Abstract A study of the causes of crowding perceptions at a heavily used recreation area is reported. It was hypothesized that perceived crowding would be positively correlated with recreationists’ exposure to threatening behavior, and with the probability that physical movement was constrained. Both hypotheses received support. Goal‐related crowding, stemming from incompatibilities between physical density levels and various psychological goals motivating participation in an activity, was unimportant at this site, although such crowding experiences have been reported in studies of wilderness users. In addition, an objective measure of use density was also unrelated to crowding perceptions.

The effect of verbal appeals and incentives on depreciative behavior among youthful park visitors

During twelve autumn weekends in 1985, a field experiment was conducted at Shiloh National Military Park, Tennessee to determine the effects of three personally-delivered messages on the amount of ...

The Effect of a State Education Reform Act on Environmental Education and Interpretative Facilities.

Abstract Environmental education and interpretive facilities in Texas were surveyed to determine the effects on their attendance, management, and programming of a state education reform bill. The bill potentially restricted the ability of public school teachers to take classes on field trips to off-campus educational centers. Findings indicated that facility attendance did decline during the twelve months following passage of the legislation. The survey also found that many environmental education and interpretive facilities made programming and management changes to adapt to the bill. These changes were associated with various facility characteristics and may have been responsible for a subsequent recovery in attendance levels.