Cultural Influence on Crowding Norms in Outdoor Recreation: A Comparative Analysis of Visitors to National Parks in Turkey and the United States

• Published in: Environmental management (New York) Vol. 52; no. 2; pp. 493 - 502
• Main Authors: Sayan, Selcuk, Krymkowski, Daniel H., Manning, Robert E., Valliere, William A., Rovelstad, Ellen L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 01.08.2013; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: African Americans; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Biological and medical sciences; British; Comparative analysis; Conservation, protection and management of environment and wildlife; Crowding; Culture; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecology; Environment; Environmental history; Environmental Management; Forestry Management; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Humans; Minority & ethnic groups; Models, Statistical; National parks; Natural resources; Nature Conservation; Norms; Outdoor; Outdoors; Parks & recreation areas; Polls & surveys; Quality standards; Recreation; Sanctions; Statistical methods; Surveys and Questionnaires; Turkey; Turkey - ethnology; United States - ethnology; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; Turkey; Asia; United States; America; North America; Mediterranean Basin; Middle east; United States > US; USA; Crowding norms; National parks; Turkey; United States; Culture; Statistical comparison of norm curves; Visitor; Statistical character; Environmental management; Crowding; Recreational activity; Statistical method; National park; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0364-152X; 1432-1009
• DOI: 10.1007/s00267-013-0076-y

Formulation of standards of quality in parks and outdoor recreation can be guided by normative theory and related empirical methods. We apply this approach to measure the acceptability of a range of use levels in national parks in Turkey and the United States. Using statistical methods for comparing norm curves across contexts, we find significant differences among Americans, British, and Turkish respondents. In particular, American and British respondents were substantially less tolerant of seeing other visitors and demonstrated higher norm intensity than Turkish respondents. We discuss the role of culture in explaining these findings, paying particular attention to Turkey as a traditional “contact culture” and the conventional emphasis on solitude and escape in American environmental history and policy. We conclude with a number of recommendations to stimulate more research on the relationship between culture and outdoor recreation.