An Exploratory Study of Outdoor Recreation Site Choices

Abstract

In this study, a think-aloud method is used to explore the process by which individuals make outdoor recreation site choices. Ten subjects made choices between 45 pairs of outdoor recreation sites during nine one-hour sessions. During the choice process they verbalized their thoughts and feelings into a tape recorder. These tapes were transcribed and the resulting verbal protocols were encoded for analysis. The codes, which represented the elements of the choice process, included symbolic and complex variables such as atmosphere, personal values, and memories, as well as more traditional elements such as site features and activities. The choice processes were characteristic of compensatory and non-compensatory decision models. The compensatory choices were characterized by the addition of positively- and negatively-evaluated elements, the chosen site having more positively assessed features. The non-compensatory process was characterized by the presence of criterion variables, the presence or absence of which determined the choices. The findings also illustrated the importance of personal values and experiences, as well as site features and activities, in the site choice process.

KEYWORDS:

• outdoor recreation
• recreation site choice
• qualitative research approachs
• choice models
• process tracing