Extending the Encounter–Norm–Crowding Generalization to Angler Evaluations of Other Social and Resource Indicators

Abstract

Recreationists who encounter more people than their normative tolerance for seeing others usually feel more crowded than those encountering fewer than their norm. This research note extends this observation–norm–evaluation relationship (e.g., encounter–norm–crowding) to other evaluations and indicators. Data were from a survey of anglers on the Gulkana National Wild River in Alaska (n = 288). Respondents who encountered more people than their norm felt more crowded than those encountering fewer than their norm. When impacts from other social indicators (e.g., camping within sight or sound of other groups, fishing area competition) exceeded user norms, crowding was higher and satisfaction with overall trip quality was lower than for those experiencing less than their norms. When impacts from resource indicators (e.g., litter, impacted campsites) exceeded norms, satisfaction with both environmental quality and trip quality were lower than for those experiencing less than their norms. The encounter–norm– crowding generalization, therefore, extended to other indicators and evaluations.

Keywords:

• social and resource indicators
• norms
• crowding
• encounters
• satisfaction
• river recreation
• anglers

Acknowledgments

We thank the Bureau of Land Management, State of Alaska, and Ahtna Inc. native corporation for their assistance. The Human Dimensions in Natural Resources Unit at Colorado State University provided additional support for this research. We also thank three reviewers for valuable comments on earlier versions of this research note.