Achieving a better understanding of outdoor recreation conflict and its management in Canada's national parks

• Author / Creator

  Spiers, Andrew

• Outdoor recreation conflict has been defined as “…goal interference attributed to another’s behavior” (Jacob & Schreyer, 1980, p. 369). Although previous leisure research has stressed the relevance of emotions (e.g., Hull, Stewart, & Yi, 1992), it has only been within the past decade that an increased interest in leisure-based emotions has occurred (e.g., Tumes, 2007; Vitterso et al., 2004). From this, development and evaluation of the validity and reliability of a multi-item, multidimensional emotions-based outdoor recreation conflict scale represented the primary purpose of this study. A second study purpose was introduced to investigate the outdoor recreation conflict knowledge transfer process within Canada’s National Parks.
  Scale validity and reliability were analyzed through the use of exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and established fit indices (i.e., Chi-Square, CFI, GFI, SRMR, RMSEA) using LISREL statistical software. Empirical assessment of the emotions-based scale supported the construct validity of a three-dimensional, 13-item scale. The predictive validity of the scale related to outdoor recreation conflict was also substantiated. Dimension reliability for all three dimensions (emotion = .84; appraisal = .86; and core affect = .72) was also confirmed. Recommendations for future research are presented including the need to establish the scales’ reliability and validity under different circumstances, in different settings, with different user groups.
  Findings from the knowledge transfer process highlight that: (a) managers value existing and future relationships with academics, (b) managers require “tools” that permit quick and easy access to relevant information, and (c) research information needs to be presented in a way that is understandable, short and succinct. The proposed outdoor recreation conflict scale was identified as valuable and interesting; however, managers did not see the scale as being appropriate for general use with the research intensive language proving to be a barrier for managers.
  Overall, this research advances theoretical understanding of outdoor recreation conflict through the development of the first emotions-based conflict scale and reveals important findings for improving the delivery and acceptance of outdoor recreation and conflict related research. Practical and theoretical findings are discussed as they relate to the leisure field and other disciplines of inquiry.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Scales
  • Dissemination
  • Recreation
  • Knowledge
  • Conflicts

• Graduation date

  Spring 2012

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Doctor of Philosophy

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R32X49

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.