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Full-Text Articles in Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration

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 …


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 …


Online Travel Information Search Behaviors: An Information Foraging Perspective, Evan Jordan Jul 2008

Online Travel Information Search Behaviors: An Information Foraging Perspective, Evan Jordan

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Information search has been a topic of research for a multitude of studies across
several fields, including travel and tourism. However, information search on the internet,
especially in travel and tourism, has rarely been examined. As a result, this research was
undertaken to explore travel information search behaviors on the Internet.
This thesis uses information foraging theory (Pirolli & Card, 1999) as a basis to
examine online travel information search behaviors. In addition, other established
measures of online information search (Hodkinson, Kiel, & McColl-Kennedy, 2000)
were used to supplement findings based upon information foraging theory. Groups of
students from two …


An Examination Of The Motivations Of Sporting Event Volunteers At Clemson University, Blair Schuyler Jul 2008

An Examination Of The Motivations Of Sporting Event Volunteers At Clemson University, Blair Schuyler

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In 2006, The Corporation for National and Community Service partnered with the Bureau of Labor Statistics to add a volunteer section to the Current Population Survey (CPS) that is sent out to 60,000 households each year. That year it was reported that 61.2 million people volunteered their time, effort, and labor through or for an organization. An additional 5.3 million people did volunteer work informally through helping their communities. Organizations across the world, specifically sports organizations, rely heavily on volunteers for success. Volunteers at the 2004 Summer Olympics (45,000), based off the assumption of working a full 8 hour for …


Examining Recreational Activity And Setting Characteristics, Lance Haynie May 2008

Examining Recreational Activity And Setting Characteristics, Lance Haynie

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The last 50 years have seen much research, theory development, and building of the concept of restorative environments and their associated effects on people's cognition, attention, and moods. However, much of this research has focused exclusively on setting characteristics and largely ignored the influence of activity on restorative outcomes. Thus, the purpose of this research was to explore the effects of semester-long recreational activity participation by comparing varying degrees of recreational activity and setting characteristics and their influence on mental restoration, general affective state, and perceived stress levels in college students that were enrolled in a range of multi-week physical …


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 …


From Visit To Action: How Zoo Visitor Characteristics Influence Environmentally-Responsible Behavior, Stephanie Joseph May 2008

From Visit To Action: How Zoo Visitor Characteristics Influence Environmentally-Responsible Behavior, Stephanie Joseph

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Over the last 30 years, AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums have shifted focus from recreation to become centers of research, conservation and education. As awareness of environmental issues increases, zoos around the world have stepped up the challenge of engaging their visitors in learning experiences to enhance knowledge and awareness of conservation initiatives and eventually evoke action. Evaluation of these educational programs has also shifted from assessing whether a program works to determining for whom it works and why. The purpose of this study is to explore the role of locus of control, motivation, previous life experiences, personal interest and knowledge …


A Comparison Of The Frequency Of Occurrence Of Stereotypic Behaviors Demonstrated By A Youth With Autism During Two Recreation Activities: Horseback Riding And Board Game Play, Philip Brekke May 2008

A Comparison Of The Frequency Of Occurrence Of Stereotypic Behaviors Demonstrated By A Youth With Autism During Two Recreation Activities: Horseback Riding And Board Game Play, Philip Brekke

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ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study is to compare the frequency of occurrence of stereotypic behaviors demonstrated by a youth with autism during two recreation activities: horseback riding and board game play.. Stereotypic behaviors are one of the three diagnostic criteria for autism as listed in the DSM IV and can impact an individual's functional abilities by interfering with learning and daily social behaviors. This study examined the frequency of occurrence of stereotypic behaviors in two different recreation activities. Despite the increase of attention and press coverage autism has received in recent years, there still remains a multitude of questions …


What Happens Monday?: The Impact Group Initiatives Have On Self-Appraised Problem-Solving Ability, Jessie Belter May 2008

What Happens Monday?: The Impact Group Initiatives Have On Self-Appraised Problem-Solving Ability, Jessie Belter

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Effective problem solving is an essential skill for people to possess. Effective problem-solvers have fewer troubles when dealing with their problems and adjust to society better. Effective problem-solvers take the needed steps to solving their problems (Bloom and Broder, 1950; Heppner et al., 1982). Few studies have been conducted looking at the long-term effect of programs that have problem-solving as an anticipated outcome. The few that have (Gass & Priest, 2006; Hatch & McCarthy, 2005) have not been conclusive in their results. The current study looks at the impact of group initiative involvement on problem solving using the Problem Solving …


Increasing Perceived Competence In Beginning Tennis Players: The Effects Of A Task Oriented Climate And Adaptive Learning Strategies, Alexander Koning May 2008

Increasing Perceived Competence In Beginning Tennis Players: The Effects Of A Task Oriented Climate And Adaptive Learning Strategies, Alexander Koning

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Abstract
The purpose of the present study was to determine if the use of adaptive learning strategies increases the perception of competence of students in a leisure skills tennis class. The complex motor skills of tennis negatively influence a beginning player's demonstration of competence and motivation. Player's self efficacy, goal orientation, and environment are linked to perceived competence, participation, effort, and enjoyment. Lowering functional task difficulty, use of modeling, and use of feedback should increase perceived competence of students. Trying to improve oneself (Task goal orientation) and being in a climate that encourages this (mastery motivational climate) are positively linked …


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 …