James Absher - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by James Absher

Journal of Leisure Research

There has been little research concerning the association between “place meanings” and “place att... more There has been little research concerning the association between “place meanings” and “place attachment.” An understanding of the association between these constructs is important because they do not stand alone, but rather, complement one another. We documented the meanings ascribed to a national forest in California by five groups of respondents that varied in their mode and attachment intensity to the setting. For example, respondents with high-attachment intensity ascribed meanings related to memories of shared experiences and sense of comfort; whereas the low-attachment respondents were distinguished by the brevity of their narratives. The findings provide a more nuanced understanding of how individuals’ level of place attachment is manifested in the way in which they understand and experience the setting.

International Journal of Sociology, 2010

ABSTRACT Parks and Protected Areas (PPA) have become increasingly important for societal well-bei... more ABSTRACT Parks and Protected Areas (PPA) have become increasingly important for societal well-being in Europe and the United States. Urbanization, detachment from nature, and demographic changes are fostering discussions about strengthening the social and cultural dimensions of management. The complexities and subtleties of incorporating PPAs into existing government and societal contexts are explored with a focus on institutional and governance principles and an emerging paradigm that might deal with some conflicts. We present two examples, in their respective institutional contexts, that illustrate different ways to address one PPA aspect, recreation management. One example, from the Black Forest of southern Germany, has management principles that were developed jointly by public and agency representatives. Notable among the principles were shifts in management objectives, permanent participative planning approaches, and the assessment of institutional fit. A second example, from California, addressed recreation in a typical forestwide plan. People were engaged through public comment on, and reactions to, proposed directions prepared by forest staff. Specific recreation conflict potentials were left to emerge in later, more specific programmatic plans. The examples show how the suggested new governance principles are addressed in practice and how they might contribute to a better scientific understanding of the social functions of recreation. The challenges of moving from existing planning models to this new paradigm are also recognized.

Absher, J.D.; Vaske, J.J.; Bright, A.D.; Don Carlos, A. 2006. Effective communication about wildf... more Absher, J.D.; Vaske, J.J.; Bright, A.D.; Don Carlos, A. 2006. Effective communication about wildfire management along the Colorado Front Range. In: Decker, D.; Lardner, M., comps. Proceedings of the third international fire ecology and management congress. Pullman, WA: Washington State University. Cvetkovich, G.T.; Winter, P.L. 2007. The what, how, and when of social reliance and cooperative risk management. In: Siegrist, M.; Earle, T.C.; Gutscher, H., eds. Trust in cooperative risk management: uncertainty and skepticism in the public mind. London: Earthscan: 187-209. Liljeblad, A.; Borrie, W.T. 2006. Trust in wildland fire and fuel management decisions. International Journal of Wilderness. 12(1): 39-43. Liljeblad, A.; Watson, A.E.; Borrie, W.T. [In press]. A look inside the dynamics of trust: a guide for managers. In: Watson, A.; Sproull, J.; Dean, L., comps. Science and stewardship to protect and sustain wilderness values: 8 th world wilderness congress symposium; 2005. Proceedings.

The National Recreation Reservation Service (NRRS) customer service monitoring protocol includes ... more The National Recreation Reservation Service (NRRS) customer service monitoring protocol includes methodological and conceptual issues related to opt-in and non-response bias across different reservation channels and stages of the reservation process. The limited available data show that opt-in rates and non-response bias may not be large in general, but might be quite pro- blematic at times. The data suggest that

To meet visitors' needs, managers must understand the motivations driving visitors to wildern... more To meet visitors' needs, managers must understand the motivations driving visitors to wilderness areas. This paper com- pares the motivations of different segments of Allegheny National Forest users. Factor analysis identified 5 motivation factors (social, escape, fun, nature and learning), with two items retained as single item dimensions (close to home and challenge). Findings highlight that wilderness and campground users

The Leave No Trace (LNT) educational program has the potential to provide wilderness users with u... more The Leave No Trace (LNT) educational program has the potential to provide wilderness users with useful minimum impact information. For LNT to be effective, managers need to understand who is most/least aware of minimum impact practices and how to expose users to LNT messages. This study examined LNT knowl- edge among various user groups at an Eastern wilderness area and

Using the salient value similarity (SVS) model, we predicted that social trust mediated the relat... more Using the salient value similarity (SVS) model, we predicted that social trust mediated the relationship between SVS and attitudes toward prescribed burns and mechanical thinning. Data were obtained from a mail survey (n = 532) of Colorado residents living in the wildland-urban interface. Results indicated that respondents shared the same values as U.S. Forest Service managers, and trusted the agency

Forest, Snow, and …, 2007

The purpose of this study was to examine the potential utility of HOFSTEDE's measure of cultural ... more The purpose of this study was to examine the potential utility of HOFSTEDE's measure of cultural values (1980) for group segmentation in an ethnically diverse population in a forest recreation context, and to validate the values segmentation, if any, via socio-demographic and service quality related variables. In 2002, the visitors to the Angeles National Forest (ANF) near metropolitan Los Angeles were surveyed. Using a systematic convenience sampling at sites known to be heavily used by visitors with diverse ethnic backgrounds, we obtained a sample of 444 Anglos, 312 Hispanics, and 319 Asians (overall N = 1174). We first attempted to confirm Hofstede's four cultural dimensions of values in the context of forest recreation. Given the poor fit of the data to the original four-dimensional cultural values model, we used exploratory factor analysis to find interpretable dimensions of cultural values in the data. We found three dimensions which we labeled Hierarchical Beliefs, Uncertainty Avoidance, and Femininity. We then used K-means cluster analysis to identify homogeneous groups of respondents based on similar responses to the cultural values dimensions and their age. The results showed that respondents can be segmented into three homogeneous groups, which we labelled Modernist, Mixed, and Postmodernist, based on Inglehart's Modernization and Postmodernization values. Socio-demographics, service quality, satisfaction, and behavioral intentions variables were used to validate and test for variations across segments. The findings provided evidence in support of the cross-cultural values scale's ability to identify distinct market segments. The findings and management impli cations are discussed.

Tourism Management, 2011

Imposing user fees in Nature-Based Tourism (NBT) contexts has been a controversial issue. Based o... more Imposing user fees in Nature-Based Tourism (NBT) contexts has been a controversial issue. Based on the notions of justice and fairness, this study extended previous work examining the relationship between attitudes toward user fees and spending support. In a proposed structural model of price fairness, fee spending support, and willingness to pay (WTP), this paper identified the antecedents of WTP user fees, and empirically examined to what extent the data fit the model. Furthermore, the moderating role of place attachment in the model was investigated by using multiple-group structural equation modeling. Subjects (n ¼ 562) were recreational tourists to a forest area in the southeast U.S. Results revealed that spending support partially played a mediating role in the relationship between perceived price fairness and WTP user fees. A multiple-group invariance test also demonstrated that while the degree of place identity moderated the effect of price fairness on spending support, the degree of place dependence did not influence the relationships among the antecedents of WTP.

Society & Natural Resources, 2004

This article examines the effect of fire-specific situational factors on forest users' normative ... more This article examines the effect of fire-specific situational factors on forest users' normative beliefs about wildland fire management. The acceptability of three fire management actions for eight scenarios was examined. The scenarios varied five factors: (1) fire origin, (2) air quality impact, (3) risk of private property damage, (4) forest recovery, and (5) outdoor recreation impact. Data were obtained from a mail survey of visitors to three national forests: (1) Arapaho-Roosevelt, Colorado (n ¼ 469), (2) Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie, Washington (n ¼ 498), and (3) San Bernardino, California (n ¼ 321). Conjoint analyses indicated varying levels of the five factors (e.g., fire started by humans or lightning) differentially affected acceptability ratings of management actions. Similar percentages of importance were attributed to four of the factors for decisions regarding ''put the fire out'' and ''contain the fire.'' There was more dispersion in the relative importance of factors for ''letting the fire burn.''

Society & Natural Resources, 2006

Understanding public attitudes toward wildland fire management policies is important for effectiv... more Understanding public attitudes toward wildland fire management policies is important for effectively managing natural resources and communicating with the pubic. Ipsative crystallization is a measure of individual attitude consensus. This article examines the utility of ipsative crystallization (IC) measures in better understanding attitudes toward and support for three wildland fire management policies (let the fire burn, contain the fire, and put the fire out). Data were obtained from a mailed survey of 1269 visitors to three national forests adjacent to large urban areas of the western United States. IC was operationalized as each respondent's standard deviation from repeated measures of policy support across a set of wildland fire scenarios, and ranged from 0 (high crystallization) to 3.21 (low crystallization). Results indicated that between 41% (let the fire burn) and 53% (contain the fire) of the respondents were highly crystallized in their support for wildland fire policies. IC moderated the effect of attitudes toward wildland fire on support for each wildland fire policy. Results provide evidence that IC may be an important, unrecognized variable in ongoing efforts to affect wildland fire policy support.

Society & Natural Resources, 2010

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the influence of residents' attachment to their ... more The purpose of this investigation was to examine the influence of residents' attachment to their homes and community on their willingness to adopt Firewise recommendations. Our sample was drawn from a population residing in the wildland-urban interface where the threat of wildfire is acute. The Firewise recommendations concerned 13 activities affecting home design, construction and maintenance, landscaping, and community engagement. Consistent with the tenets offered by the elaboration likelihood model of persuasion and empirical evidence stemming from the place and community attachment literatures, we hypothesized that those most attached to their homes and community would be most inclined to adopt Firewise recommendations to protect these settings. For the most part, our findings were consistent with this hypothesis. We observed that the dimensions of home attachment were most strongly predictive of activities centered on and around the home, whereas community attachment was more strongly predictive of community-based activities.

Society & Natural Resources, 2010

Guided by tenets of identity theory, we hypothesized a causal structure of enduring involvement s... more Guided by tenets of identity theory, we hypothesized a causal structure of enduring involvement suggesting that self-relevant components precede the other dimensions. We used Kyle et al.'s (2004a) Modified Involvement Scale, in which leisure involvement is conceptualized as a multidimensional construct consisting of identity affirmation, identity expression, attraction, centrality, and social bonding. Identity affirmation and identity expression were considered as self-related facets based on their dimensional definitions. The model was tested using campers visiting a southeastern National Forest. The analyses offered partial support for our hypothesized model. Attraction was positively influenced by identity affirmation, whereas centrality and social bonding were positively predicted by identity expression. This work provides a theoretical framework for understanding the leisure involvement process, where identification with a leisure activity leads to the development of attit...

Leisure Studies, 2007

This investigation examines the psychometric properties of a modified involvement scale (MIS) usi... more This investigation examines the psychometric properties of a modified involvement scale (MIS) using recreationists sampled at a national forest in upstate South Carolina and consumers enquiring about angling opportunities in the Low Country of South Carolina. Following the testing of several model configurations, support for a conceptualization of enduring involvement was observed consisting of five correlated facets: attraction, centrality, social bonding, identity expression and identity affirmation. This conceptualization was an extension of McIntyre's measure. Notable departures from McIntyre's conceptualization include the extraction of a social component previously embedded in the centrality facet and greater distinction in the leisure identification processes. This led to the construction of two identification facets. Testing using multiple criteria of validity and reliability illustrated that the MIS was a sound indicator of enduring leisure involvement.

Leisure Sciences, 2006

In this investigation, the relationship between motivation and enduring involvement was explored ... more In this investigation, the relationship between motivation and enduring involvement was explored using a sample of campers drawn from three distinct campsites in a southeastern national forest, USA. The campsites varied along the ROS continuum from developed to wilderness. Using multidimensional conceptualizations of both constructs, a model was tested where the dimensions of motivation were modeled to positively influence the dimensions of enduring involvement. Although not all paths were statistically significant, the effect of motivation on enduring involvement was positive. No variation in the sign or strength of the path coefficients was observed across the three sites. These findings provide empirical support for the contention that motivation is an antecedent of enduring involvement.

Leisure Sciences, 2003

This study blends service quality and importance-performance methodologies to extend previous res... more This study blends service quality and importance-performance methodologies to extend previous research beyond traditional customer service domains. The study examined water-based recreationists' importance and satisfaction ratings across a battery of 19 individual attributes within four domains relevant to outdoor recreation satisfaction (facilities, services, information, and recreation experience). Both the satisfaction-only item scores and gap scores (difference between importance and satisfaction

Journal of Leisure Research

There has been little research concerning the association between “place meanings” and “place att... more There has been little research concerning the association between “place meanings” and “place attachment.” An understanding of the association between these constructs is important because they do not stand alone, but rather, complement one another. We documented the meanings ascribed to a national forest in California by five groups of respondents that varied in their mode and attachment intensity to the setting. For example, respondents with high-attachment intensity ascribed meanings related to memories of shared experiences and sense of comfort; whereas the low-attachment respondents were distinguished by the brevity of their narratives. The findings provide a more nuanced understanding of how individuals’ level of place attachment is manifested in the way in which they understand and experience the setting.

International Journal of Sociology, 2010

ABSTRACT Parks and Protected Areas (PPA) have become increasingly important for societal well-bei... more ABSTRACT Parks and Protected Areas (PPA) have become increasingly important for societal well-being in Europe and the United States. Urbanization, detachment from nature, and demographic changes are fostering discussions about strengthening the social and cultural dimensions of management. The complexities and subtleties of incorporating PPAs into existing government and societal contexts are explored with a focus on institutional and governance principles and an emerging paradigm that might deal with some conflicts. We present two examples, in their respective institutional contexts, that illustrate different ways to address one PPA aspect, recreation management. One example, from the Black Forest of southern Germany, has management principles that were developed jointly by public and agency representatives. Notable among the principles were shifts in management objectives, permanent participative planning approaches, and the assessment of institutional fit. A second example, from California, addressed recreation in a typical forestwide plan. People were engaged through public comment on, and reactions to, proposed directions prepared by forest staff. Specific recreation conflict potentials were left to emerge in later, more specific programmatic plans. The examples show how the suggested new governance principles are addressed in practice and how they might contribute to a better scientific understanding of the social functions of recreation. The challenges of moving from existing planning models to this new paradigm are also recognized.

Absher, J.D.; Vaske, J.J.; Bright, A.D.; Don Carlos, A. 2006. Effective communication about wildf... more Absher, J.D.; Vaske, J.J.; Bright, A.D.; Don Carlos, A. 2006. Effective communication about wildfire management along the Colorado Front Range. In: Decker, D.; Lardner, M., comps. Proceedings of the third international fire ecology and management congress. Pullman, WA: Washington State University. Cvetkovich, G.T.; Winter, P.L. 2007. The what, how, and when of social reliance and cooperative risk management. In: Siegrist, M.; Earle, T.C.; Gutscher, H., eds. Trust in cooperative risk management: uncertainty and skepticism in the public mind. London: Earthscan: 187-209. Liljeblad, A.; Borrie, W.T. 2006. Trust in wildland fire and fuel management decisions. International Journal of Wilderness. 12(1): 39-43. Liljeblad, A.; Watson, A.E.; Borrie, W.T. [In press]. A look inside the dynamics of trust: a guide for managers. In: Watson, A.; Sproull, J.; Dean, L., comps. Science and stewardship to protect and sustain wilderness values: 8 th world wilderness congress symposium; 2005. Proceedings.

The National Recreation Reservation Service (NRRS) customer service monitoring protocol includes ... more The National Recreation Reservation Service (NRRS) customer service monitoring protocol includes methodological and conceptual issues related to opt-in and non-response bias across different reservation channels and stages of the reservation process. The limited available data show that opt-in rates and non-response bias may not be large in general, but might be quite pro- blematic at times. The data suggest that

To meet visitors' needs, managers must understand the motivations driving visitors to wildern... more To meet visitors' needs, managers must understand the motivations driving visitors to wilderness areas. This paper com- pares the motivations of different segments of Allegheny National Forest users. Factor analysis identified 5 motivation factors (social, escape, fun, nature and learning), with two items retained as single item dimensions (close to home and challenge). Findings highlight that wilderness and campground users

The Leave No Trace (LNT) educational program has the potential to provide wilderness users with u... more The Leave No Trace (LNT) educational program has the potential to provide wilderness users with useful minimum impact information. For LNT to be effective, managers need to understand who is most/least aware of minimum impact practices and how to expose users to LNT messages. This study examined LNT knowl- edge among various user groups at an Eastern wilderness area and

Using the salient value similarity (SVS) model, we predicted that social trust mediated the relat... more Using the salient value similarity (SVS) model, we predicted that social trust mediated the relationship between SVS and attitudes toward prescribed burns and mechanical thinning. Data were obtained from a mail survey (n = 532) of Colorado residents living in the wildland-urban interface. Results indicated that respondents shared the same values as U.S. Forest Service managers, and trusted the agency

Forest, Snow, and …, 2007

The purpose of this study was to examine the potential utility of HOFSTEDE's measure of cultural ... more The purpose of this study was to examine the potential utility of HOFSTEDE's measure of cultural values (1980) for group segmentation in an ethnically diverse population in a forest recreation context, and to validate the values segmentation, if any, via socio-demographic and service quality related variables. In 2002, the visitors to the Angeles National Forest (ANF) near metropolitan Los Angeles were surveyed. Using a systematic convenience sampling at sites known to be heavily used by visitors with diverse ethnic backgrounds, we obtained a sample of 444 Anglos, 312 Hispanics, and 319 Asians (overall N = 1174). We first attempted to confirm Hofstede's four cultural dimensions of values in the context of forest recreation. Given the poor fit of the data to the original four-dimensional cultural values model, we used exploratory factor analysis to find interpretable dimensions of cultural values in the data. We found three dimensions which we labeled Hierarchical Beliefs, Uncertainty Avoidance, and Femininity. We then used K-means cluster analysis to identify homogeneous groups of respondents based on similar responses to the cultural values dimensions and their age. The results showed that respondents can be segmented into three homogeneous groups, which we labelled Modernist, Mixed, and Postmodernist, based on Inglehart's Modernization and Postmodernization values. Socio-demographics, service quality, satisfaction, and behavioral intentions variables were used to validate and test for variations across segments. The findings provided evidence in support of the cross-cultural values scale's ability to identify distinct market segments. The findings and management impli cations are discussed.

Tourism Management, 2011

Imposing user fees in Nature-Based Tourism (NBT) contexts has been a controversial issue. Based o... more Imposing user fees in Nature-Based Tourism (NBT) contexts has been a controversial issue. Based on the notions of justice and fairness, this study extended previous work examining the relationship between attitudes toward user fees and spending support. In a proposed structural model of price fairness, fee spending support, and willingness to pay (WTP), this paper identified the antecedents of WTP user fees, and empirically examined to what extent the data fit the model. Furthermore, the moderating role of place attachment in the model was investigated by using multiple-group structural equation modeling. Subjects (n ¼ 562) were recreational tourists to a forest area in the southeast U.S. Results revealed that spending support partially played a mediating role in the relationship between perceived price fairness and WTP user fees. A multiple-group invariance test also demonstrated that while the degree of place identity moderated the effect of price fairness on spending support, the degree of place dependence did not influence the relationships among the antecedents of WTP.

Society & Natural Resources, 2004

This article examines the effect of fire-specific situational factors on forest users' normative ... more This article examines the effect of fire-specific situational factors on forest users' normative beliefs about wildland fire management. The acceptability of three fire management actions for eight scenarios was examined. The scenarios varied five factors: (1) fire origin, (2) air quality impact, (3) risk of private property damage, (4) forest recovery, and (5) outdoor recreation impact. Data were obtained from a mail survey of visitors to three national forests: (1) Arapaho-Roosevelt, Colorado (n ¼ 469), (2) Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie, Washington (n ¼ 498), and (3) San Bernardino, California (n ¼ 321). Conjoint analyses indicated varying levels of the five factors (e.g., fire started by humans or lightning) differentially affected acceptability ratings of management actions. Similar percentages of importance were attributed to four of the factors for decisions regarding ''put the fire out'' and ''contain the fire.'' There was more dispersion in the relative importance of factors for ''letting the fire burn.''

Society & Natural Resources, 2006

Understanding public attitudes toward wildland fire management policies is important for effectiv... more Understanding public attitudes toward wildland fire management policies is important for effectively managing natural resources and communicating with the pubic. Ipsative crystallization is a measure of individual attitude consensus. This article examines the utility of ipsative crystallization (IC) measures in better understanding attitudes toward and support for three wildland fire management policies (let the fire burn, contain the fire, and put the fire out). Data were obtained from a mailed survey of 1269 visitors to three national forests adjacent to large urban areas of the western United States. IC was operationalized as each respondent's standard deviation from repeated measures of policy support across a set of wildland fire scenarios, and ranged from 0 (high crystallization) to 3.21 (low crystallization). Results indicated that between 41% (let the fire burn) and 53% (contain the fire) of the respondents were highly crystallized in their support for wildland fire policies. IC moderated the effect of attitudes toward wildland fire on support for each wildland fire policy. Results provide evidence that IC may be an important, unrecognized variable in ongoing efforts to affect wildland fire policy support.

Society & Natural Resources, 2010

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the influence of residents' attachment to their ... more The purpose of this investigation was to examine the influence of residents' attachment to their homes and community on their willingness to adopt Firewise recommendations. Our sample was drawn from a population residing in the wildland-urban interface where the threat of wildfire is acute. The Firewise recommendations concerned 13 activities affecting home design, construction and maintenance, landscaping, and community engagement. Consistent with the tenets offered by the elaboration likelihood model of persuasion and empirical evidence stemming from the place and community attachment literatures, we hypothesized that those most attached to their homes and community would be most inclined to adopt Firewise recommendations to protect these settings. For the most part, our findings were consistent with this hypothesis. We observed that the dimensions of home attachment were most strongly predictive of activities centered on and around the home, whereas community attachment was more strongly predictive of community-based activities.

Society & Natural Resources, 2010

Guided by tenets of identity theory, we hypothesized a causal structure of enduring involvement s... more Guided by tenets of identity theory, we hypothesized a causal structure of enduring involvement suggesting that self-relevant components precede the other dimensions. We used Kyle et al.'s (2004a) Modified Involvement Scale, in which leisure involvement is conceptualized as a multidimensional construct consisting of identity affirmation, identity expression, attraction, centrality, and social bonding. Identity affirmation and identity expression were considered as self-related facets based on their dimensional definitions. The model was tested using campers visiting a southeastern National Forest. The analyses offered partial support for our hypothesized model. Attraction was positively influenced by identity affirmation, whereas centrality and social bonding were positively predicted by identity expression. This work provides a theoretical framework for understanding the leisure involvement process, where identification with a leisure activity leads to the development of attit...

Leisure Studies, 2007

This investigation examines the psychometric properties of a modified involvement scale (MIS) usi... more This investigation examines the psychometric properties of a modified involvement scale (MIS) using recreationists sampled at a national forest in upstate South Carolina and consumers enquiring about angling opportunities in the Low Country of South Carolina. Following the testing of several model configurations, support for a conceptualization of enduring involvement was observed consisting of five correlated facets: attraction, centrality, social bonding, identity expression and identity affirmation. This conceptualization was an extension of McIntyre's measure. Notable departures from McIntyre's conceptualization include the extraction of a social component previously embedded in the centrality facet and greater distinction in the leisure identification processes. This led to the construction of two identification facets. Testing using multiple criteria of validity and reliability illustrated that the MIS was a sound indicator of enduring leisure involvement.

Leisure Sciences, 2006

In this investigation, the relationship between motivation and enduring involvement was explored ... more In this investigation, the relationship between motivation and enduring involvement was explored using a sample of campers drawn from three distinct campsites in a southeastern national forest, USA. The campsites varied along the ROS continuum from developed to wilderness. Using multidimensional conceptualizations of both constructs, a model was tested where the dimensions of motivation were modeled to positively influence the dimensions of enduring involvement. Although not all paths were statistically significant, the effect of motivation on enduring involvement was positive. No variation in the sign or strength of the path coefficients was observed across the three sites. These findings provide empirical support for the contention that motivation is an antecedent of enduring involvement.

Leisure Sciences, 2003

This study blends service quality and importance-performance methodologies to extend previous res... more This study blends service quality and importance-performance methodologies to extend previous research beyond traditional customer service domains. The study examined water-based recreationists' importance and satisfaction ratings across a battery of 19 individual attributes within four domains relevant to outdoor recreation satisfaction (facilities, services, information, and recreation experience). Both the satisfaction-only item scores and gap scores (difference between importance and satisfaction