Maureen P. Donnelly

A Value-Attitude-Behavior Model Predicting Wildland Preservation Voting Intentions

This article examines the value attitude behavior cognitive hierarchy as it pertains to wildland preservation. Data for this investigation were obtained from a random sample of Colorado residents (n=960). A biocentric/anthropocentric value orientation continuum was developed and examined empirically. Consistent with previous research, confirmatory factor analysis and reliability analysis suggested that a respondents value orientation toward wildlands can be positioned along this single continuum. As predicted by theory, a structural equation analysis demonstrated that the biocentric/anthropocentric value orientation continuum predicted a respondents attitude toward the preservation of wildlands, and that the attitude fully mediated the relationship between value orientation and behavioral intention to vote for wildland preservation. Overall, this article provides empirical support for using the cognitive hierarchy when attempting to understand and predict responses to natural resource issues.

Norms, standards, and natural resources

The normative approach in natural resource management illustrates the progress that has been made in advancing theory and application in outdoor recreation research. This article integrates findings from a number of different studies to highlight the utility of the normative approach and provide an example of how efforts focused on a particular theoretical approach can enhance the quality of scientific research. Findings from both social and ecological impact studies are examined. Topics include norms for encounters, ecological impacts, aesthetic impacts, and instream flows. A number of considerations for future research are presented, including the definition of norms, norm salience, norm consensus, question construction, and statistics for measuring norms.

Perceptions of crowding and resource quality by early and more recent visitors

Abstract Previous literature suggests that a recreationists current evaluations of a natural setting are influenced by the conditions that existed during the individuals initial exposure to the environment. Given the rapid growth in backcountry use and the ecological impairments associated with this use, it follows that each new generation of visitors will experience a different set of initial conditions. This paper explores the relationship between the year boaters made their first trip to the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore and their current evaluations of the resource. Results indicate that those who made their first trip prior to the areas national designation, when use levels were lower, perceived significantly greater levels of environmental damage to the islands and evaluated perceived increases in visitor numbers more negatively than the more recent boaters. The implications of these findings for managing the recreational experience are discussed.

Differences in reported satisfaction ratings by consumptive and nonconsumptive recreationists.

This paper theorizes that participants in consumptive and nonconsumptive activities differ in terms of the specificity and clarity of their recreation goals and their control in achieving these goa...

Social Values versus Interpersonal Conflict among Hikers and Mountain Bikers

Conflict has traditionally been defined in terms of goal interference (interpersonal conflict) where the physical presence of one individual or group interferes with the goals of another individual or group. Recent research has identified social values differences as an alternative explanation for conflict. Social values conflict can occur between users with different beliefs and values, even if there is no contact between them. This article builds on this conceptual distinction by examining social values and interpersonal conflict reported by hikers (n = 210), mountain bikers (n = 163), and those who participate in both activities (n = 400). Data for this article were obtained from onsite surveys. Respondents evaluated unacceptable behaviors associated with hiking and mountain biking. Across all three groups, less conflict was reported for hiking than for mountain biking. To the extent that conflict did exist for hiking, mountain bikers and dual-sport participants were more likely than hikers to report unacceptable behaviors. For evaluations of mountain biking behavior, hikers were more likely than mountain bikers to experience conflict, whereas dual-sport participants fell in between these two extremes. All three groups reported more interpersonal than social values conflict.Conflict has traditionally been defined in terms of goal interference (interpersonal conflict) where the physical presence of one individual or group interferes with the goals of another individual or group. Recent research has identified social values differences as an alternative explanation for conflict. Social values conflict can occur between users with different beliefs and values, even if there is no contact between them. This article builds on this conceptual distinction by examining social values and interpersonal conflict reported by hikers (n = 210), mountain bikers (n = 163), and those who participate in both activities (n = 400). Data for this article were obtained from onsite surveys. Respondents evaluated unacceptable behaviors associated with hiking and mountain biking. Across all three groups, less conflict was reported for hiking than for mountain biking. To the extent that conflict did exist for hiking, mountain bikers and dual-sport participants were more likely than hikers to report u...

Interpersonal versus social‐values conflict

Abstract This study empirically examines the theoretical distinction between interpersonal conflict and conflict in social values. Data for this investigation were obtained from surveys of visitors to Mt. Evans, Colorado. Interpersonal conflicts between hunters and nonhunters on Mt. Evans appear to have been minimized due to the mountains natural visual barriers and the managing agencys regulations that prohibit hunting near the road where most nonhunters are found. To the extent that conflict exists with hunting associated events on Mt. Evans, much of the problem stems from differences in social values held by the hunting and nonhunting publics. Hunters and more frequent visitors experienced more interpersonal conflicts than nonhunters and less frequent visitors for nonhunting human‐wildlife interaction events. Analyses examining the interaction between type of visitor (hunters versus nonhunters) and number of prior visits (first visit, two to four visits, and five or more visits) suggested that confli...

Recreation conflict among skiers and snowboarders.

Jacob and Schreyers (1980) four determinants of recreation conflict, along with a measure of perceived safety, were used to examine both out-group and in-group normative beliefs about unacceptable behaviors reported by skiers and snowboarders. Data were obtained from surveys distributed at five ski resorts in Colorado. Bivariate analyses indicated that skiers reported more unacceptable behaviors by snowboarders than by fellow skiers, and snowboarders also identified more out-group than in-group conflict. The skiers and snowboarders in this sample varied in terms of activity style, resource specificity, mode of experience, lifestyle tolerance, and concerns with safety. Two structural equation models were used to identify which determinants influenced beliefs about unacceptable behavior. Only activity style significantly influenced both out-group and in-group conflict in both the skier and the snowboarder path models. The relative influence of the other predictors varied according to activity (skiing or snowboarding) and type of conflict (out-group or in-group).Jacob and Schreyers (1980) four determinants of recreation conflict, along with a measure of perceived safety, were used to examine both out-group and in-group normative beliefs about unacceptable behaviors reported by skiers and snowboarders. Data were obtained from surveys distributed at five ski resorts in Colorado. Bivariate analyses indicated that skiers reported more unacceptable behaviors by snowboarders than by fellow skiers, and snowboarders also identified more out-group than in-group conflict. The skiers and snowboarders in this sample varied in terms of activity style, resource specificity, mode of experience, lifestyle tolerance, and concerns with safety. Two structural equation models were used to identify which determinants influenced beliefs about unacceptable behavior. Only activity style significantly influenced both out-group and in-group conflict in both the skier and the snowboarder path models. The relative influence of the other predictors varied according to activity (skiing or sn...

Establishing management standards: selected examples of the normative approach.

The importance of developing evaluative standards for judging the acceptability of impacts caused by recreation is common to all recent natural resource management frameworks. A normative model has been advanced as a useful way to conceptualize, collect, and organize empirical data representing standards for resource management issues. This article summarizes the findings from social and ecological research to illustrate the utility of the normative approach from a managers perspective. The social data (e.g., encounter norms, proximity norms, and tolerances for launch wait times) were obtained from 13 different study sites, while the ecological data (e.g., tolerances for the amount of bare ground, size of fire rings, instream flows, and wildlife management practices) were collected at three specific sites and from one statewide survey, Findings from the social research indicated that encounter norms exist for particular types of contacts with certain types of visitors at particular places and for certain types of experiences. The recreationists reported norms for acceptable distances between individuals, encounters with others at campsites or attractions, and waiting times to run rapids. These social norm evaluation techniques were also shown to be transferable to normative evaluations of ecological impacts. The users had opinions about ecological impacts and were willing to express them. In addition, the ecological norms were of moderate to high intensity. It is argued that the usefulness of normative approaches lies in their ability to characterize group agreement about appropriate use conditions or impact levels for a particular recreation experience, thus providing the evaluative information needed to establish management standards.

Country of origin, encounter norms, and crowding in a frontcountry setting

Existing normative studies have focused on backcountry encounter norms reported by North Americans. This study compares encounter norms and perceptions of crowding reported by visitors from five different countries of origin—Canada, United States, Japan, Germany, and England—to a frontcountry day‐use recreation area. Data were obtained from random samples of two types of visitors—those riding in “snocoach” tour vehicles (n = 463) and those on the toe of the glacier (n = 375)—at the Columbia Icefield in Jasper National Park, Alberta. Results indicated both similarities and differences among the visitors. In terms of differences, Anglo American respondents were least likely to specify a norm, while the Germans and Japanese were most likely. Among those who reported an encounter norm, however, the average tolerance limit did not vary by country of origin. Few differences were also apparent for perceived crowding levels among the five visitor groups. Irrespective of country of origin, when contacts exceeded t...

Predicting attitudes toward a proposed moose hunt

A growing segment of the American population now questions decisions made by wildlife managers and demands a voice in the decision‐making process. Public acceptance of wildlife management policies is a key consideration in most wildlife decisions. Recognizing this need for human dimensions research, managers have begun to develop and use expertise that allows them to assess the social component of decisions much as they assess the biological consequences of wildlife decisions. This article builds on the existing human dimensions research by examining the influence of five categories of variables on residents’ reactions to a specific wildlife management proposal. The predictor classes were respondents ‘ personal characteristics, participation in wildlife associated recreation, beliefs about the states Fish and Game Department, general beliefs about hunting, and specific beliefs about a moose hunt. A random sample of New Hampshire residents was surveyed. Variables from each of the five predictor classes we...