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Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons

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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Influence Of Overseas Travel Experiences On The Worldviews Of U.S. Backpackers, Mark Kanning Aug 2008

Influence Of Overseas Travel Experiences On The Worldviews Of U.S. Backpackers, Mark Kanning

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Backpacking as a type of overseas travel has become a global phenomenon represented by people of various nationalities forming a postmodern dynamic, nomadic global community of travelers influencing, and being influenced by, each other and the locales in which they visit. Typically associated with overseas budget travel, backpacking has become an important component of global travel and tourism. However, research on backpackers. from the United States have not been well represented in the travel and tourism literature. Recent publication has called for research to be conducted on backpackers originating from around the world including the United States. This dissertation addresses …


A Grounded Theory Of The Dynamic Nature Of Constraints To Leisure And Successful Coping Process, Harriet Dixon Aug 2008

A Grounded Theory Of The Dynamic Nature Of Constraints To Leisure And Successful Coping Process, Harriet Dixon

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This study followed the grounded theory design of Strauss and Corbin (1990, 1998) in order to generate a theoretical model that describes, explains, and predicts the dynamic nature of constraints to leisure experienced by adults who had been previously constrained from learning to swim but were successful in coping with constraints. Theoretical and convenience sampling techniques yielded a final sample size of 28, with 23 participants being female and five males. All participants in the study stated he or she was interested in learning to swim earlier in life, but were constrained, and were, at the time of the study, …


The Influence Of Electronic Word Of Mouth In An Online Travel Community On Travel Decisions: A Case Study, Irem Arsal Aug 2008

The Influence Of Electronic Word Of Mouth In An Online Travel Community On Travel Decisions: A Case Study, Irem Arsal

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As a result of embracing the Internet, online travel communities have become an important information source for travelers. The members of these communities communicate through postings called electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) the act of sharing information on a particular topic. Electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) is informal communications among consumers regarding the usage or characteristics of goods and services on the Internet (Litvin, Goldsmith, and Pan, 2008). Furthermore, the influence of eWOM has been found to be influential on consumer purchasing behavior (Guernsey, 2000). Thus, an understanding of the potential of eWOM in online travel communities on travel decisions has implications for tourism …


Promoting Perceived Competence In Youth: Examining The Interaction Between Leaders' Facilitation Style And Youths' Autonomy Orientation, Angela Wozencroft May 2008

Promoting Perceived Competence In Youth: Examining The Interaction Between Leaders' Facilitation Style And Youths' Autonomy Orientation, Angela Wozencroft

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In high ropes courses, there are many different types of facilitation styles that are effective. It is unclear how the environment that is created through particular facilitation styles impacts the outcomes participants experience. The tenets of Self-Determination Theory (SDT) provide useful direction in understanding how two styles of facilitation interact with clients' personality in promoting positive outcomes such as perceived competence. The purpose of this study was to examine how the learning environment created through either an autonomy supportive or controlling facilitation style affects the perceived competence of at-risk youth participants in relation to their level of autonomy. Eighty-eight economically …


Identifying With Tourists: Examining The Emotional Solidarity Residents Of Beaufort County, South Carolina Have With Tourists In Their Community, Kyle Woosnam May 2008

Identifying With Tourists: Examining The Emotional Solidarity Residents Of Beaufort County, South Carolina Have With Tourists In Their Community, Kyle Woosnam

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ABSTRACT Traditionally the relationship between residents and tourists in a community is superficial in nature (Ratz, 2000). Interactions between the parties are not only transitory, unequal and unbalanced, but they are also predicated on financial exchanges (Mason, 2006), and rooted in the dichotomy of 'self' versus 'other' (Wearing & Wearing, 2001).
Within the literature, calls for research have been made to examine a potential deeper emotional relationship between residents and tourists (McIntosh, 1998; Pizam, Uriely & Reichel, 2000; Prentice, Witt, & Wydenbach, 1994; Wearing & Wearing, 2001). Applying and testing the theory of emotional solidarity (Durkheim (1995[1915]), a sequential exploratory …