Download Measuring Leisure Motives: Understanding Why People Visit Wildernesses and more Study notes Humanities in PDF only on Docsity! 1 1 Measuring Leisure Motives CSS 287 2 Why Measure Motivation? Recall…(ROS – Rec. Opportunity Spectrum) Natural resource managers provide opportunities for visitors to engage in Preferred Activities, in Preferred Settings A) Environmental – grassy areas, mountains, lakes . . . B) Social – few people lots of people C) Managerial – low to high restrictions, to achieve . . . Desired Experiences (These are what motivate people to participate!) 3 Understanding Motivations Understanding “your” recreation motivation. Think of a favorite recreation activity. What motivates you to do this? (list them). Tabulate & summarize How do managers figure out why people visit their area? Is it possible to do this? 4 Measuring Motivations “Happy” survey participants. Alpine Lakes Wilderness (WA) 5 Methods to Measure Motivations Quantitative – Surveys (numerical measurements) Qualitative – Interviews (verbal, descriptive) Other: Observations? (quantitative counts &/or qualitative) SWAG? Staff Stories? Media accounts? Historic records? 6 Quantitative – Survey Research On-site (short-term recall) Exit Survey (short-term recall) Mail (long-term recall) Telephone (long-term recall) Internet (long-term recall) Snow Lake Trailhead (busiest in NW), WA Limitations? 2 7 Recreation Preference Scale Risk Taking - to take risk, - tempt danger Social - be w/friends, - my group Nature - scenery, - nature exp’s Learning - learn new things, exploration Escape - tranquility, - privacy Psychological Reasons Measured by (Domains) (Scales/ Scale items—a series of short questions w/fixed answers) 8 Question 2: Your Motivations for Visiting Wildernesses The following are feelings or experiences that people sometimes seek in wilderness. For each, please indicate how important they are to you when on a wilderness trip. Please consider all wilderness trips, not just this trip. How important is it? 7654321To develop personal, spiritual values 7654321To be my own boss 7654321To be near others who could help if I need them 7654321A sense of being away from the modern world 7654321A sense of challenge 7654321To be away from crowds of people 7654321A sense that the surroundings haven’t been impacted by people 7654321A feeling of remoteness 7654321Wilderness opportunities 7654321To learn about this place 7654321Closeness to nature 7654321To think about who I am 7654321Solitude 7654321A sense of freedom Extremely Important Not at all Important How important is this to your wilderness experience? 9 Multiple Motivations & Variability 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Delta Salt Rio - 1st Rio-Rpt View Scenery Peaceful feelings Develop new skills Be alone Motivations for river floating (percentage of respondents). Adapted from: Knopf and Lime, 1984. 10 Qualitative - Interviews On-site (now) Post-hoc (after) Telephone (later) Pete Lake (WA) – semi-structured, in depth interview (on-site) What are the Limitations of each? 11 Qualitative — Group Measures Focus group (later) Open house (later) Panel of experts (later) Articles, letters … Observation (now) 12 Wilderness Visitors… 3024Perspective on life 115Humility 21Privacy 20Novelty 74Achievement 149Inspiring 1614Rejuvenated 83Sentimental 2013Awe 158Freedom 8349Peace, quiet, relax 7652Good, Nice, Enjoy OvernightDayPositive Feelings “Just being in the outdoors. Smelling the fresh air, the sun glistening on the ripple in the lake. Just being out here. It’s not where I come to rejuvenate, but it is rejuvenating.” (Pete Lake, Alpine Lake Wilderness, WA)
