Sponsor
Portland State University. Department of Anthropology
First Advisor
Jeremy Spoon
Term of Graduation
Fall 2021
Date of Publication
1-13-2022
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (M.A.) in Anthropology
Department
Anthropology
Language
English
Subjects
Recreational surveys, Environmental psychology, Ecotourism -- Nevada -- Desert National Wildlife Range, Ecotourism -- Nevada -- Spring Mountains National Recreation Area, Place (Philosophy), Protected areas -- Public use, Recreation areas -- Public use
DOI
10.15760/etd.7762
Physical Description
1 online resource (iv, 64 pages)
Abstract
The complex sensory experiences of visitors to U.S. protected areas are not well understood. Previous research investigates visitor activities, motivations, and the ways place attachment cultivates support for conservation activities and other pro-environmental behavior. However, it is unclear how protected area visitor sensory experiences contribute to these behaviors. This study aims to articulate the multisensory experiences of visitors to the Desert National Wildlife Refuge Complex and the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area in southern Nevada, U.S.A. Specifically, it demonstrates the complexity of these experiences as present, intertwined, and embodied in all visit phases: before, during, and after. Utilizing a mixed-method investigation of a digitally administered survey (n=141) and social media analysis of three major platforms where visitors post trip images and reviews, results from this study demonstrate the sensory experience of visitors to these protected areas is formulated in the memory and imagination of the visitor before their visit, embodied in their active physical engagement with the environment while on-site through their chosen activities, and cemented in their emotional recollection through internal and external processes. Further, visitors utilize photographs, reviews, and social media posts to create emotional artifacts of their visit, contributing to the anticipation of future visits and influencing pro-environmental behavior. These results can assist land managers in addressing planning and management decisions related to visitation, conservation, recreation, and interpretation.
Rights
© 2021 Sara Nicole Temme
In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/37080
Recommended Citation
Temme, Sara Nicole, "More Than Words: Articulating the Multisensory Experiences of Protected Area Visitors in Southern Nevada" (2022). Dissertations and Theses. Paper 5891.
https://doi.org/10.15760/etd.7762