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Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons™
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- Recreation (6)
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Articles 31 - 60 of 91
Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Coaching Equestrian Vaulting: The Motivation Behind Volunteer Coaching, Amy Mccune
Coaching Equestrian Vaulting: The Motivation Behind Volunteer Coaching, Amy Mccune
All Dissertations
The purpose of this research was to identify the primary motivations for people to become and continue as equestrian vaulting coaches. Using a nomothetic context for research, this study focused on gaining a better understanding of equestrian vaulting coaches by identifying factors that generally motivate their participation in the sport. The first research question related to what motivates someone to become a vaulting coach while the second question related to what motivates these coaches to continue in the coaching role.
Fifteen female coaches were selected for interviews from the American Vaulting Association membership. Interview questions were based on a preliminary …
Exploring Group Cohesion In A Higher Education Field Experience, Brian Malcarne
Exploring Group Cohesion In A Higher Education Field Experience, Brian Malcarne
All Dissertations
The purpose of this study was to gain understanding into the experience of group cohesion for university students participating in an academic field experience. A mixed methods approach was used following a two-phase, sequential research design to help provide a more complete explanation of how group cohesion was impacted by the field experience. The sample consisted of 112 undergraduate students involved in a 3-day academic field experience. The initial quantitative phase gathered pre- and post-test data on group cohesion using the Group Environment Questionnaire (GEQ) modified for an academic context. Findings demonstrated significant positive change in the domain of social …
Predictors Of Motivation To Participate In Whitewater Kayaking, Jon Evans
Predictors Of Motivation To Participate In Whitewater Kayaking, Jon Evans
All Theses
Whitewater kayaking has grown in popularity over the past two decades (NSRE, 1994; NSRE, 2000). Because of this growth a better understanding of participants motivations could assist vendors, programmers, and decision making bodies for the future of the sport. The intent of this study is to explore the differences between the demographic variables age, sex, and skill level on the motivations to participate in whitewater kayaking. A secondary purpose was to assess the differences between the basic psychological needs (i.e., autonomy, competence, and relatedness) and motivation to participate in the sport of whitewater kayaking.
Whitewater enthusiasts were recruited from across …
Parental Involvement In Youth Sports: An Examination Of Team Greenville, Christina Mazer
Parental Involvement In Youth Sports: An Examination Of Team Greenville, Christina Mazer
All Theses
Considerable research suggests that parents play an important role in the youth sports environment, however we are often unaware of the motivations that influence parents' involvement, or lack thereof, in their child's sports activities. This study examined the role of parent involvement in the youth sports environment, specifically among youth swim team participants. Interviews were conducted with parents to examine their level of involvement with their child's youth sport. A transcendental or psychological phenomenology was used to analyze the data that emerged from the interviews. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed and limitations and suggestions for future research are noted. …
Developing A Conceptual Framework To Understand Why Local Residents Contribute To Online Travel Communities, Bingjie Liu
Developing A Conceptual Framework To Understand Why Local Residents Contribute To Online Travel Communities, Bingjie Liu
All Theses
Online travel communities have reshaped travel behaviors and decision-making of people around the world. In addition to the communication between different travelers, it is noted that local residents also contribute to the information sharing process. Why do local people offer help online? This is a question that has not been answered through a rigorous research process. By exploring why local residents' display helping behavior in online travel communities, the purpose of this study was to develop and test a conceptual framework to understand local residents' contribution to online travel communities. Two models rooted from social psychology to understand the helping …
Self-Actualization And Peak Experiences In Outdoor Recreation, Jonathan Vogler
Self-Actualization And Peak Experiences In Outdoor Recreation, Jonathan Vogler
All Theses
While a positive correlation has been illustrated between peak experiences in outdoor recreation and self-actualization, there has been little to no research on the detailed components of peak experiences that might influence self-actualization. The purpose of this study was to explore individuals' perceptions of peak experiences in outdoor recreation and their potential influence on the process of self-actualization. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 criteria recruited participants that had a long experiential history with outdoor recreation. A phenomenological approach was used to explore the essence of the peak experience as well as perceptions of self-actualization, as described by each participant. …
The Relationship Between Motivations For Physical Activity And Self-Esteem Of College Women, Emily Turke
The Relationship Between Motivations For Physical Activity And Self-Esteem Of College Women, Emily Turke
All Theses
Physical activity can have a positive impact on several aspects of mental health, including self-esteem. Positive mental health effects of physical activity may be related to increased skill competency and social interaction (Paluska & Schwenk, 2000). Research indicates that self-esteem is also increased by participation in physical activity. Specifically, girls who participate in physical activity have higher self-esteem than girls who do not participate (Wilson & Rodgers, 2002; Schmalz, Deane, Birch, Davidson, 2007). Self-esteem that emerges from physical activity is an important factor in the health and wellbeing of college women. Social, emotional, academic and physical aspects of a young …
Serious Tourism And Consumer Preference For Sustainable Tourism Certifications, Richard Lacher
Serious Tourism And Consumer Preference For Sustainable Tourism Certifications, Richard Lacher
All Dissertations
Demand for sustainability oriented vacation options is on the rise as consumers become more aware of the negative effects that their travel may have on various destinations. Certifying tourism businesses as sustainable (much in the way organic food or fair trade coffee is certified) has been proposed as a means to ensure that ecotourism operations actually follow the principles of sustainable development. This study uses a serious tourism framework and a stated preference choice modeling approach to evaluate consumers' preferences for different types of sustainable tourism certifications. Additionally, willingness to pay (WTP) for different types for certifications is important so …
Nature-Based Recreationists' Perceptions Of Climate Change And Attitudes Towards Climate Change Mitigation In Natural Environments, Matthew Brownlee
Nature-Based Recreationists' Perceptions Of Climate Change And Attitudes Towards Climate Change Mitigation In Natural Environments, Matthew Brownlee
All Dissertations
Novel biophysical impacts from a rapidly changing climate are influencing resources in many parks and protected areas that host nature-based recreation. In addition to climate impacts, renewable energy initiatives (e.g., wind farms) aimed to mitigate climate change are increasingly converging with nature-based recreation areas. Climate impacts and climate change mitigation efforts in nature-based recreation areas have the capacity to influence individual and collective experiences, attitudes, and potentially behaviors. However, little is known about nature-based recreationists' interactions with climate-influenced resources, and how these interactions may influence perceptions of climate change and attitudes towards mitigation efforts. This dissertation addresses this lack of …
Transnational Leisure And Travel Experience Of Second-Generation Chinese-Americans, Wei-Jue Huang
Transnational Leisure And Travel Experience Of Second-Generation Chinese-Americans, Wei-Jue Huang
All Dissertations
In the past, international migration often required immigrants to uproot themselves completely from their old society in order to build a new home, start a new life, and pledge allegiance to a new country. However, new transportation and communication technologies allow contemporary immigrants to live in two worlds and maintain virtual and physical contact with their homeland through leisure and tourism. The purpose of this study is to understand the lived experience of second-generation immigrants as they engage in transnational leisure activities and trips to their homeland, as well as explore the relationship between second-generation immigrants' transnational homeland attachment and …
The Relationship Between Changes In Business Structure And Tourism Growth And Development In Charleston, South Carolina, 1899-1999, Katharine Sparks
The Relationship Between Changes In Business Structure And Tourism Growth And Development In Charleston, South Carolina, 1899-1999, Katharine Sparks
All Dissertations
The dissertation investigates how a medium-sized U.S. city (Charleston, SC) transformed itself from an old depressed port, with a predominance of manufacturing industries, to one that is a popular international tourist destination. The research seeks to answer the following questions:
* What urban processes have been most influential in shaping the tourism product?
* Can Butler's Tourism Area Life Cycle (TALC) model be used as a basis for measuring tourism growth in the Tourism Business District of a U.S. city?
* Is the change in a city's business structure related to the growth of the tourism industry?
* What measures …
Virtual Tourism: Identifying The Factors That Affect A Tourist's Experience And Behavioral Intentions In A 3d Virtual World, Yu-Chih Huang
Virtual Tourism: Identifying The Factors That Affect A Tourist's Experience And Behavioral Intentions In A 3d Virtual World, Yu-Chih Huang
All Dissertations
Given the increase in the use of technologies within the tourism industry, particularly the rising interest in virtual worlds such as Second Life, the purpose of this study is to identify the factors related to the 3D virtual tourism experience and behavioral intentions after visiting a virtual tourism destination. Two theories, the Technology Acceptance Model and Self-Determination Theory, were used to guide this study, both of which were found to be useful frameworks. Basecamp Maasai Mara in Second Life was selected as the research site, designed and developed through a collaborative effort at Clemson University. The results revealed that technological …
Not Yet A Woman, Not Yet A Mom: The Leisure Experiences Of Pregnant Adolescents, Brianna Clark
Not Yet A Woman, Not Yet A Mom: The Leisure Experiences Of Pregnant Adolescents, Brianna Clark
All Dissertations
Pregnant adolescents are a unique group, they are not yet women, and not yet mothers. Adolescent pregnancy continues to be a social issue that has been given much attention; however, little research exists concerning the leisure of pregnant adolescents. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to examine pregnant adolescents' leisure experiences from their own standpoints. Standpoint theory, leisure constraints theory and ecological systems theory were used to frame the study. This phenomenological study gained an in-depth understanding of the leisure of nine pregnant teens enrolled in a school for pregnant and parenting teens located in a small city in …
An Integrated Approach To Assessing The Resilience And Sustainability Of Community Based Tourism Development In The Commonwealth Of Dominica, Patrick Holladay
An Integrated Approach To Assessing The Resilience And Sustainability Of Community Based Tourism Development In The Commonwealth Of Dominica, Patrick Holladay
All Dissertations
Despite millions of dollars invested in developing community-based tourism to diversify economies, reduce poverty and improve quality of life in the Caribbean, little is known about what conditions lead to resilience and sustainability of tourism dependent communities. Sustainability from a resilience theory perspective is the likelihood an existing system of resource use will persist indefinitely without a decline in the resource base or social welfare. Undertaking activities to enhance resilience and sustainability improves a systems' ability to persevere, adapt, and learn to meet challenges caused by unanticipated events such as stock market collapse, political upheaval, or natural disaster. This study …
Effectiveness Of A Leisure Education Program On Volunteer Attitudes, Intentions, And Knowledge By Postsecondary Students With Intellectual Disabilities, Mattie Playne
All Theses
Research supports numerous benefits of volunteering, yet individuals with intellectual disabilities do not participate in volunteering as frequently as people without intellectual disabilities. According to the Leisure Ability Model, leisure education can be an effective way to promote recreation participation through volunteering. The purpose of this study is to examine effectiveness of a leisure education program designed to support independent volunteer participation by students enrolled in a university LIFE program. The future intentions of participation in volunteer activities and attitudes towards volunteer participation of four university LIFE students were examined before, during, and after the leisure education program using single …
The Role And Influence Of Leisure Activities And Companions During A Study Abroad Experience, Cindy Hartman
The Role And Influence Of Leisure Activities And Companions During A Study Abroad Experience, Cindy Hartman
All Theses
In an attempt to create rigorous study abroad programs, international educators frequently debate the design of study abroad programs. Design elements include intercultural contact, level of immersion and the balance of structured and unstructured activities (Sutton, Miller, & Rubin, 2007). International education researchers have found that unstructured free time, or leisure, during study abroad programming gives students opportunities to connect with the host culture and leads to attitude changes in how students feel about themselves as well as how they perceive the host country and its citizens (McCabe, 1994; Meyer-Lee & Warfield, 2006; Nyaupane, Teye & Paris, 2008). However, no …
A Formative Experiment For The Development Of Intercultural Competence In Students Engaged In Undergraduate Travel And Tourism Studies, Cinzia Mancini-Cross
A Formative Experiment For The Development Of Intercultural Competence In Students Engaged In Undergraduate Travel And Tourism Studies, Cinzia Mancini-Cross
All Dissertations
Globalization is reaching impacts never thought of before and intercultural competence, once the prerogative of restricted circles, has become a necessary attribute for all of those who intend to be successful in the world of enterprise including the travel and tourism sector. Yet, travel and tourism academic institutions face systemic shortcomings in offering intercultural education and training for their students. This research examined how an educational approach called a Formative Experiment (Reinking & Bradley, 2008) helped undergraduate college students develop intercultural competence. The purpose of the Formative Experiment was to design and evaluate an instructional intervention aimed at facilitating the …
Overnight Park Visitor Constraints To Participation And Interests Potentially Served In Interpretive Programs, Jessica Goodrich
Overnight Park Visitor Constraints To Participation And Interests Potentially Served In Interpretive Programs, Jessica Goodrich
All Theses
Interpretive programs are offered by parks and public lands to inspire the visitors to further appreciate the heritage resources presented and protected within parks. These programs and services add an additional dimension to park visits, may increase enjoyment, provide visitors with a richer understanding of heritage resources, create opportunities to influence visitor behaviors in ways helpful to managers, and possibly provide motivations for visitors to extend their stay. Any potential desired outcome resulting from the strategic use of interpretative programs requires participants, and the broader the audience, the wider the influence. Consequently, a study of the variety of reasons that …
An Investigation Of The Relationship Between Service Quality, Transaction-Specific Satisfaction, And Overall Satisfaction In Predicting Golfers' Revisit Intentions, Joon Choel Lee
All Dissertations
ABSTRACT
Every year, approximately 37 million people play golf and use golf course facilities with friends or family, and each group's perception of satisfaction differs. It is important and worthwhile to examine the variables that influence golfers' perceptions of service quality and satisfaction. Understanding which variables best predict behavioral intentions to revisit certain facilities is an important issue in the tourism industry, but few studies have investigated the relationships between service quality, transaction-specific satisfaction, and overall satisfaction in predicting revisit intention.
The purpose of this study is to compare and investigate conceptual frameworks that represent the relationship between golfers' perceived …
Social Networks In The Tourism Industry: An Investigation Of Charleston, South Carolina, Tianyu Ying
Social Networks In The Tourism Industry: An Investigation Of Charleston, South Carolina, Tianyu Ying
All Dissertations
Over the past decades, increasing attention has been given to the networking in the tourism industry (Lynch, 2000; Pavlovich, 2003). The existing literature mainly focuses on the interrelationships among tourism stakeholders at sector level and the structure of the interorganizational networks in tourism industry. However, little research has been done to examine the possible antecedents and outcomes of the tourism networks and the interrelationships between the network structures at different subject level (i.e., interpersonal and interorganizational) and in different social contexts (i.e., online and offline). The purpose of this study is to address these research gaps by empirically examining the …
Assessment Of Destination Brand Associations: An Application Of Associative Network Theory And Network Analysis Methods, Xu Chen
All Dissertations
Recent tourism management research has seen increasing discussions of applying branding concepts into destination marketing. However, brand association and its importance in creating strong and unique brands have not been studied adequately. The purpose of this study was to identify the underlying dimensions that people use to describe destination brands and examine the structural relations of the destination's brand association.
Brand association focuses on analyzing the characteristics consumers' knowledge, perceptions and attitudes associated with a brand and how brand associations interact with each other. Research on brand association provides measurement constructs to evaluate branding effectiveness and offers marketing professionals the …
Changes In Visitors' Environmental Focus During An Appreciative Recreation Experience, Adam Mckay
Changes In Visitors' Environmental Focus During An Appreciative Recreation Experience, Adam Mckay
All Theses
Recreation that involves learning, viewing, observing, studying, identifying, or photographing nature (e.g., birds, plants, or wildlife) may be termed appreciative recreation. As appreciative wildland recreation participation continues to increase, an understanding of the development of on-site experiences for recreationists will be important for helping managers meet visitor needs, meet objectives for education during experiences, and managing social and ecological impacts related to the activity. The purpose of this study is to investigate the developmental nature of appreciative recreation experiences. Clawson and Knetsch (1966) are typically cited as the first researchers to identify that an outdoor recreation experience has multiple phases …
'First We Crawled, Then We Walked, Now We Want To Run': An Examination Of The Transition Processes Used By Inclusive Camps, Teresa Tucker
'First We Crawled, Then We Walked, Now We Want To Run': An Examination Of The Transition Processes Used By Inclusive Camps, Teresa Tucker
All Dissertations
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this dissertation was to examine the transition processes camps undergo when including campers with disabilities into the organized camp from the perspective of key individuals who championed inclusion. Despite research that supports inclusion and knowledge of best inclusive practices, few camps have implemented the inclusion of individuals with disabilities in a purposeful way. Understanding the components that facilitate a camp's adoption of inclusion and the roles people play to facilitate the inclusion process can provide camp professionals guidelines to ensure all campers have a positive inclusive camp experience. In this phenomenological study, in-depth interviews were conducted …
Inspiring Awe In The Outdoors: A Mechanistic And Functional Analysis, Joel Agate
Inspiring Awe In The Outdoors: A Mechanistic And Functional Analysis, Joel Agate
All Dissertations
The past decade has seen a movement within the field of psychology in which positive emotions have been emphasized as an important key to improved quality of life. The Broaden-and-Build Theory of Positive Emotions indicates that such emotions may provide enduring reservoirs of personal strength and may broaden thought-action repertoires, opening people`s minds to new possibilities. One emotion that has begun to receive some attention among positive psychologists is awe. While little is known about this emotion, researchers and scholars have indicated that natural and outdoor environments are common settings in which people experience awe. The purpose of this study …
The Interaction Of Motivational Climate And Self-Determination In Examining Commitment Level In Female Youth Sport, Kyle Player
The Interaction Of Motivational Climate And Self-Determination In Examining Commitment Level In Female Youth Sport, Kyle Player
All Theses
Research has shown that many benefits can be derived from youth sports. Practitioners need to be equipped with the skills to provide the best youth sport experience and retain participants. This is of particular importance for females because of their tendency to dropout at higher rates than males. The purpose of this research is to describe the effect that coach-created motivational climate has on female youth athletes' self-determination and goal orientation and how these variables affect their commitment level pre to post season. Research has shown that a coach initiated mastery climate will have a positive effect on girls' self …
The Wilderness In Wilderness Therapy Techniques, Jane Brison
The Wilderness In Wilderness Therapy Techniques, Jane Brison
All Theses
The fields of Therapeutic Recreation, Criminal Justice, and Psychology currently use wilderness therapy techniques in the treatment of adolescents experiencing difficult life transitions. While literature exists that reports on the effectiveness of Wilderness Therapy techniques in addressing the issues that adolescents' face, there is a lack of understanding regarding exactly why these programs work. One theme that has been minimally addressed in the literature is the role that the 'wilderness' plays in these therapeutic techniques. People's perceptions of the wilderness environment vary due to experience and exposure. These varying perceptions could play a role in the effectiveness of these techniques …
A Leisure Education Program For Postsecondary Students With Intellectual Disabilities, Madalyn Weber
A Leisure Education Program For Postsecondary Students With Intellectual Disabilities, Madalyn Weber
All Theses
For individuals with intellectual disabilities finding and taking part in leisure experiences can be difficult without appropriate knowledge and skills. This study examined the use of a leisure education program with students enrolled in a post-secondary education program located on the campus of a mid-size southeastern university. This postsecondary educational program is designed to teach independent living and job skills to people ages 18-23 who have an intellectual disability. The -Leisure Ability Model is the conceptual framework for this study. Leisure attitude was measured through a revised version of the Leisure Attitude Measure; it assessed three components: cognitive, behavioral, and …
Establishing The Best Practices Related To Effective Student Development In Campus Recreation Student Employees, Lauren Toperzer
Establishing The Best Practices Related To Effective Student Development In Campus Recreation Student Employees, Lauren Toperzer
All Theses
Students play a vital role in the leadership and delivery of campus recreation programs. The purpose of this study was to investigate best practices related to effective student development techniques in high quality campus recreation programs affiliated with NIRSA (National Intramural Recreational Sports Association). NIRSA , in collaboration with CAS (Council for the Advancement of Standards), educates collegiate recreational sports professionals on the importance of providing a rich learning environment for student employees (nirsa.org, 2010). A campus recreation professional can put student development theory to practice and the student employee can gain effective professional development.
Data were collected through a …
Self-Determination Theory And Therapeutic Recreation: The Relevance Of Autonomy, Competence, And Relatedness To Participant Intrinsic Motivation, Gena Bell
All Dissertations
The purpose of this dissertation was to explore the relevance of autonomy, competence, and relatedness, the three innate psychological needs proposed by self-determination theory, to participant intrinsic motivation. The three needs of SDT have not previously been examined in an exploratory manner or applied to efficacy research in therapeutic recreation. If applied, therapists could use them to increase intrinsic motivation towards interventions in their participants.
The first manuscript discusses intrinsic motivation and self-determination and their presence in leisure and therapeutic recreation research. It details the experimental manipulation of autonomy, competence, and relatedness in a 2 x 2 x 2 design. …
Helping Families Play: Developing A Framework For Family Recreation Programming, Sarah Agate
Helping Families Play: Developing A Framework For Family Recreation Programming, Sarah Agate
All Dissertations
Family recreation is an important part of life for many families, but many people may not be participating in as much family recreation as they would like, or some people may not be enjoying the family recreation activities in which they participate. The purpose of this study was to develop a framework for providing family recreation activities that can help all family members have enjoyable experiences. Ecological theory and leisure constraints theory were used to frame the study. The family accessibility conceptual framework was developed, tested, and modified for providing family recreation activities. A collective case study was conducted using …