Cognitive Dimensions of Wilderness Privacy: An 18-Year Trend Comparison

Abstract

In 1999, replication of a 1981 study was conducted as exactly as possible as the 1981 study, involving the same number of respondents ( n = 109), universities, recreation management classes, classroom-administered questionnaire, and data analysis. Cognitive states of privacy were measured using a 20-item scale, rated on a 7-point importance continuum. Trend analysis involved individual scale item and factor analysis comparisons between the 1981 versus 1999 data. Twelve of the 20 scale items were rated significantly different ( p h .05) over the 18-year period, with 11 of the 12 items rated higher by 1999 respondents. Today's students found cognitive aspects of freedom of choice concerning interactions, use of time and actions, rules/constraints of society, and everyday pressure/tensions more important than did 1981 students. The major factor differences between years were the following: The Intimacy factor increased in importance and was perceived more consistently (reliability alphas) in 1999 and Individualism changed the most of any factor in the dimension structure.

Keywords:

• Privacy
• Solitude
• Wilderness
• Trends