Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Exploring Leisure And Recreation Programming Within A Transitional Living Community, Alexandra Joynes

OTD Capstone Projects

Dismas House is an approved Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC), 501(c)(3) non-profit residential re-entry program serving men who are returning to the community from state and county jails and prisons. The purpose of this capstone experience is to collaborate with Dismas House staff and residents to create sustainable resources for community dinner and programming engagement through a recreation and leisure lens. At Dismas House, the goal is to support these men as they navigate a variety of challenges that come with transition from prison back into society, whether this is through providing basic needs, focusing on health & well-being, employing …

Investigating The Effect Of Using Humorous Threats In Recreation Area Rules Signage To Influence Behavioral Intentions, Jacob Timothy Vargas

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Communicating the importance of rules and warnings to visitors of recreational parks through signage can be difficult. However, it is one of the most important things to keep visitors safe. Oftentimes, these signs use fear of punishment or injury to discourage certain behaviors. According to studies following the Extended Parallel Processing Model (EPPM), using threats can backfire and cause visitors to use maladaptive fear responses to counteract a threat message if the content is too extreme or too psychologically close. Humor is a versatile tool that can be used to grab attention, temper perceptions, and influence decision-making. Comedians like Jon …

Developing Youth-Informed And Quality-Aware Spatial Accessibility Measures To Urban Parks Using A Survey-Based 2sfca Method In London, Ontario And Halifax, Nova Scotia, Zhe Chang

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Park-related research has gained much attention in recent years, yet not enough studies have focused on the inequity of park accessibility and quality. These are crucial elements that influence youth’s park use, which in turn influence their physical, mental, and social development. Existing literature uses park size as the supply level to examine park accessibility but fails to consider any other park characteristics (e.g., amenities, general condition). This research developed youth-informed and quality-aware measures to consider the influence on park attraction by its quality and size rather than size only. This was implemented by consulting a youth advisory council to …

Impacts Of Human Disturbances On Alaskan Brown Bears (Ursus Arctos): A Literature Review, Stephanie J. Menjivar

University Honors Theses

This thematic literature review presents a comprehensive analysis of the existing research on the various human disturbances that impact Alaskan brown bears (Ursus arctos). It meticulously explores key findings, trends, and gaps in the literature, focusing on the overarching themes of Land-Use Overlap, Hunting and Poaching, Noise Pollution, and Industrial Development. By synthesizing and critically evaluating a wide range of studies, this review aims to deepen our understanding of the common sources of disturbances and their implications on the spatial, feeding, and social behaviors of brown bears. A brown bear's response to human activities …

Teaching And Assessing Cornhole As A Leisure Activity For Young Adults With Developmental Disabilities, Katarina Rotta

Dissertations

Leisure has long been identified as a crucial component of a healthy lifestyle. One population that displays extremely low levels of leisure activity is people with developmental disabilities, which is concerning because previous research has identified a positive correlation between leisure activity and quality of life among such individuals. The purpose of the present project was to teach and assess cornhole as a leisure activity for seven young adults with developmental disabilities. Study 1 assessed points scored with four versions of cornhole and preference for those versions. Study 2 evaluated a procedure intended to teach participants to keep score. A …

Perceptions Of Trail Safety In Humboldt County, California: An Analysis Of Safety Concerns, Factors That Impact Trail Use, And The Value People Place On Trails, Natalie C. Arroyo

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Trails in Humboldt County, California that are used for both transportation and recreation have myriad community benefits. However, people’s concerns about feeling safe can affect trail use, design, and development, as well as how trails are valued and perceived by residents. There has been a lack of information in Humboldt County about trail safety perceptions despite it being a factor that repeatedly arises in infrastructure planning and funding conversations. My research was focused on answering the following questions: (1) How do Humboldt County trail users perceive their safety on and near trails? (2) What factors affect these perceptions about safety, …

Barriers To Outdoor Recreation For Marginalized Groups At The University Of Montana, Sabine R. Englert, Beatrix Frissell, Adrienne Liebert, Sophia Rodriquez, Margaret Jensen, Rachana Harris, Abby Doss

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Exclusion from outdoor recreation reflects legacies of oppression of marginalized communities and makes access to the outdoors not equally available. In the United States, approximately 38% of Black Americans and 48% of Hispanic Americans participated in outdoor recreation in 2020. This is compared to 55% participation among Caucasian Americans. Many other intersecting identities are actively excluded, including people with disabilities, fat populations, and members of the LGBTQIA2S+ community; furthermore, class-based hierarchies are shown through the restricted outdoor access of low-income populations.

While numerous studies show a lack of diversity in outdoor recreation, little to no research has been conducted on …

Community Outdoor Recreation Realization Pilot Review And Recommendations, Ashley Castro, Jazzelle Elias, Grace Friend, Lisa Spang, Grace Walhus

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Community Outdoor Recreation Realization, or CORR, was created through collaboration of Montana Access Project, University of Montana, and the US Forest Service. This program is intended to help rural Montana communities realize recreation assets and plan for their development. A pilot of the CORR process was implemented in two Montana communities: White Sulphur Springs and Columbia Falls. Researchers interviewed CORR facilitators and community members who participated in the CORR process. From the feedback received in these qualitative interviews, researchers presented recommendations to improve the CORR process and created an initial toolkit to be used by future communities. This report covers …

Wildlife Value Orientations And Recreation Conflict: A Focus On Hunters And Non-Hunters In Alberta, Canada, Yuvana Sequeira

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Parks and other forms of protected areas are considered a vital tool in the effective conservation of biodiversity. These areas also provide important spaces for nature-based tourism and recreation (NBTR), where activities such as hiking, swimming, canoeing, and socializing with friends and family often occur. In some cases, hunting may also occur within a protected area, but there is little understanding of how such activities affect the experience and overall satisfaction of other recreationists (and vise-versa). While NBTR is a popular and growing industry, there is limited research in Canada about the values of tourists and recreationists and the …

Social Justice Through Beach Access And Community-Based Placemaking In Puna, Hawai'i, Yumi-Shika Shridhar

WWU Graduate School Collection

This project investigates how tourist-dependent regions can implement community-based placemaking to create an inclusive outdoor space and experience for both tourists and locals. My area of focus is on Puna District, located on the southeast side of Hawai'i’s Big Island; their community was damaged by a volcanic eruption from Mount Kīlauea in 2018. The county, economic development organizations and community members are working to rebuild the region and infrastructure and reopen parts of the land covered by the lava. The research is conducted through a case study methodology of the Puna District and how the area is revitalizing their region, …

Stewards And Conservationists: Merging Moral Norms And The Theory Of Planned Behavior To Understand Altruistic Conservation Behavior Among Hunters In Southwestern Utah, Jacob C. Richards

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The leading cause of mortality in California Condors (condors) is lead poisoning, which occurs when condors ingest lead-based ammunition left in carcasses. As a critically endangered species with approximately 115 individuals remaining in the American southwest, increasing the adoption of non-lead ammunition is essential to the recovery of the species. In Utah, the Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) uses communication with hunters as the primary tool for increasing the adoption of non-lead ammunition in southwestern Utah. In this research, we use social science theory and data collected from a survey of hunters throughout the region to develop a strategic communication …

Narratives About The Role Of Recreation, Place Attachment, And Community Attachment And Their Effects On Youth Future Orientation In New Hampshire, Hannah Joy Falcone

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Post-Experience Survey Of Backcountry Anglers And Hikers In Rocky Mountain National Park, Robin Graham, Anna Miller, Christopher Monz

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

In Rocky Mountain National Park (ROMO), visitation has increased by over 1 million visitors per year over the last 5 years (NPS Stats, 2021). Park managers are especially concerned about the impacts of crowded conditions in the Bear Lake region of the park where hiking and fishing are common activities and those participants may perceive crowding differently (Kainzinger et al., 2015). Therefore, this study focuses on describing the perceptions of crowding and potential displacement of hikers and anglers. Additionally, to aid in park-visitor communication, specifically for hikers and anglers, this study also addresses how visitors are getting information …

Spatial Behavior Of Backcountry Anglers And Hikers In Rocky Mountain National Park, Robin Graham, Noah Creany, Christopher Monz

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

In Rocky Mountain National Park, managers are concerned about informal trails resulting from off-trail travel in popular backcountry areas. The distribution of informal trails near water bodies raised questions for park managers about the potential impacts of different visitor activities, specifically hiking and angling use. This report examined the spatial behavior of hikers and anglers using GPS tracking and explored hiker experience preferences in relation to their spatial behavior. Anglers on average traveled farther and spent more time during their trip than hikers. Across all study locations, there was no difference in the amount of off-trail travel between hikers and …

A Needs Assessment Of Butts County After-School Programs And Their Inclusivity, Gracie P. Thompson

Honors College Theses

After-school programs have proven themselves to be a fantastic way for students to gain extra learning and social skills, while not in the usual school setting. Another benefit is to increase physical activity, to lessen the chance of childhood obesity. In Butts county, more specifically Daughtry Elementary School, there is currently an after-school program, but it does not have much of a structure- recreationally or at all. This poses a hidden problem for the students in the school system who may have no one to motivate them to get active, or no one to make them do any kind of …

Exploring Socialization Processes For Leisure-Based Esports: A Qualitative Study., Joseph R. Brewer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzed the perspectives of leisure-based esports participants from a Facebook group dedicated to a popular fighting game as esports. This study used a grounded theoretical approach, and several orienting theories/concepts (Serious Leisure, Recreation Specialization, social worlds, and the performance ethic) were used to study socialization into – and through – leisure-based esports participation. Based on ten interviews conducted from September through October 2020, this study found that if individuals were introduced to esports from the performance ethic, they tended to be socialized into social themes associated with the activity and vice versa. Through esports, participants were taught thoughts, …

Missouri River Open Lands Preservation: A Great Falls Case Study, Leonard Patrick Ormseth

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

South of Great Falls, Montana, adjacent to the city lies a 72-acre undeveloped parcel of state school trust land. For decades, this land has been used by the community for recreation including mountain biking, dog walking, fishing, and wildlife viewing. During the COVID-19 pandemic, these recreational values were especially pertinent as city attractions such as bars, restaurants, and other entertainment were shuttered or suffered from greatly reduced capacity. The community, while aware of this treasure, became especially attached as it served as a refuge from the throes of the modern world. When the Fox Farm neighborhood learned of the State’s …

To Feed Or Not To Feed: Examining The Effects Of Provisioning Tourism On Nurse Sharks In Caye Caulker, Belize, Carlee Jackson

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Wildlife tourism is increasing in popularity around the world, creating the need to understand alterations in animal behavior and spatial distributions that may occur due to associated anthropogenic disturbances. Nurse sharks (Ginglymostoma cirratum, Bonnaterre 1788) are commonly used for wildlife tourism within the Caye Caulker Marine Reserve in Belize. Shark and Ray Village (SRV) is a site within the reserve where nurse sharks are consistently fed by tour/snorkel boats to create an interactive experience with tourists, termed provisioning tourism. Prior to this experiment, no studies had been conducted in SRV to evaluate the impact of provisioning tourism (tourism …

Sport Participation For People With Disabilities: Examining Perceived Constraints To Participation In Sport, Allison Pinello

Masters Theses, 2020-current

The aim of this paper is to investigate the constraints, or barriers, that people with disabilities (PwDs) perceive as factors related to their participation in sport and recreation activities. An electronic questionnaire was administered through email via a regional disability advocacy and programming organization and was completed by PwDs with varying levels and types of disability. The questionnaire included questions related to three different dimensions of constraint: intrapersonal, interpersonal, and structural, as well as subdimensions within the structural constraint. From the data analysis, five different conclusions were drawn: 1) The interpersonal constraint was the most commonly cited constraint. 2) The …

Equity-Based Resource And Service Allocation For The City Of San José’S Department Of Parks, Recreation And Neighborhood Services, Patrick Córdova

Master's Projects

The purpose of this research is to examine the literature and public agency practice to understand how public agencies are using equity to allocate funding for services to provide an adequate level of service to stakeholders based on need. The research question is, based on existing research and other governmental agency models, how can the City of San José’s Department of Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhood Services (PRNS) develop guidelines to allocate its resources within an equity-based framework?

State Park Selection As Determined By User Health, Connor Phelan

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine whether state park difficulty affected location of travel. This study was conducted at three state park locations within the United States. Surveys and on-site examinations were made at the following locations; Wilson State Park, Kansas, Petit Jean State Park, Arkansas, and Kiholo State Park, Hawaii. Park locations were chosen by varying levels of terrain difficulty, as well as a rating from the Recreation Opportunity Spectrum. Participants were asked to report data via iPads on exercise habits, mobility limiting impairments, and frequency of exercise so a ranking of the healthiest participants could be …

From Screen To Summit: An Investigation Of Claims About Social Media Use For Outdoor Recreation Purposes, Theodora M. Doyon

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Recent increases in visitation to public lands in the U.S. are often attributed to a rise in social media sharing of outdoor spaces, and particularly to the use of geotagging and hashtagging for location sharing. There are conflicting views on the influence of social media on visitation to public lands, including negative perceptions of social media users, and positive perceptions of social media’s potential to spread information to underrepresented and underserved communities. Due to the growing interest in social media use and its effects on outdoor spaces, it is important to understand how social media use correlates with recreational behavior …

Water Resources On The Pacific Crest Trail: Thru-Hiker Experiences And Alternate Water Sources In 2019, Riley Hine

WWU Graduate School Collection

The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) is a 2,650-mile long trail that connects Mexico and Canada through California, Oregon and Washington. For thru-hikers, water is a priority on trail that requires prior research and daily planning. Water resources fluctuate between seasons and years, requiring thru-hikers to adapt to variable resources. This case study examines how thru-hikers prepare for and experience water resources on the Pacific Crest Trail. Relying on thru-hiker interviews, online survey data, and analysis of water reports, this research uses a mixed-methods approach to examine water resource accessibility and variability on the PCT. Using a variation of Affordance Theory, …

Applying The United States Forest Service National Framework For Sustainable Recreation To The Entiat Ranger District: From Theory To Implementation, Katherine Galambos

WWU Graduate School Collection

Recreation managers in the United States Forest Service (USFS) across the country face reduced budgets, increased visitation, and costly infrastructure problems . In the West especially, increased frequency and severity of wildfires has led to the closure and/or extreme damage to recreation opportunities. To address these issues, the USFS released the Framework for Sustainable Recreation in 2010 to guide recreation planners using principles of sustainability. Sustainable planning theory has existed in the literature since the 1980s as an approach to the consequences of climate change that incorporates economic, environmental, and social equity (Brundtland, 1987). Since 2010, some National Forest …

Do Changing Resource Conditions Displace Anglers? A Study Of Contingent Travel Behaviors And Substitution Patterns On Minnesota’S North Shore, Adam Hestetune

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Angling in Minnesota’s North Shore faces unique threats from the impacts of climate change. These impacts, such as changes in the presence and/or abundance of specific species, present management challenges which might also influence the demand for recreational angling throughout the region. Anglers’ adaptations to climate change in the North Shore region could shift densities, timing, and spatial use of the region’s fish populations, increasing the stress on ecological systems. Developing an empirically-grounded understanding of the contingent behaviors of anglers is imperative if the region’s fish populations are to be managed sustainably. Using a travel cost model, we measured the …

Visitor Characteristics, Attitudes, And Management Preferences Of The Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex, Samuel J. Rhodes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex (BMWC) encompasses 3 federal wilderness areas and spans over 1.5 million acres of iconic mountains and valleys in northwestern Montana. Here visitors can find a plethora of recreation opportunity that give access to some of the most rugged country that can be found in the lower 48 states. However, managing wilderness areas comes with the challenge of both preserving the natural resources found within their borders and enabling opportunities for recreational experiences. Wilderness social scientists always have striven to determine the type of visitors coming to wilderness, and see what sorts of experiences they pursue. …

Medical Specialty Camps: A Holistic Approach To Assist In The Management Of Diabetes, Takeyra Monique Collins

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

From toddlers to adolescents, poor medical regimen and adherence occurs as youth face adversities caused by type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). This inquiry-based research sought to explore the process of promoting resilience to attain personal diabetes management through outcome-focused programming. This dissertation was structured in a three-paper format to highlight three sectors of a medical specialty camp to identify the significance of building resilience among youth with T1DM, incorporating family support, and providing service-learning opportunities for students. The purpose of this study was to examine the impacts associated with campers’ resilience from pre- to post-camp based on their participation in …

Female Perspectives On Mountain Biking, Rebecca Irvin

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study strived to inquire about females’ perspectives of learning to mountain biking. Through an online survey, the present study explored the constraints (White, 2008) that keep women from trying the sport. Respondents (N=150) answered an online survey. Results of this study will be useful for outdoor education professionals, parks and recreation programming, cycling advocacy organizations, and any who make marketing materials for the outdoor industry. The study is designed to provide a description of the female perspectives regarding constraints and motivation towards learning to mountain bike.

Small Scale Sport Events And Sustainability: A Case Study In Torres Del Paine National Park, Chile, Jennifer Valarde-Menary

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Small-scale sport events have been argued to be sustainable form of tourism development for communities (Gibson, 1999). The purpose of this study was to analyze four small-scale sport events all operated by NIGSA (Nómadas International Group SA) in the Magallanes region of Chile. The four events at the core of this study were: Patagonian Expedition Race, Patagonian International Marathon, Ultra Trail Torres del Paine, and the Ultra Fiord which operate partially or completely inside the Torres del Paine National Park. As a biosphere reserve established by the United Nations, Torres del Paine National Park requires a sustainable perspective of event …

Basketball Officials' Training And Development: Links To Retention, Nathan Ferdinand

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The sharp decline in retention from year-to-year among sport officials is considered a “crisis” among the officiating community and research has attempted to explore the issue by identifying factors that impact retention (Warner et al. 2013). The seven-factor “Referee Retention Scale” (RRS) seeks to predict the likelihood of retention for officials one factor being officials’ ratings of their continuing education (Ridinger et al. 2017). However there is a lack of study for examining the relationships among methods and outcomes of training continuing education and referee retention across sporting contexts. A cross-sectional design was created using an online survey which combined …