Meanings and Implications of Acceptability Judgments for Wilderness Use Impacts
Document Type
Conference Paper
Journal/Book Title
Wilderness Science in a Time of Change Conference — Volume 4: Wilderness Visitors, Experiences, and Visitor Management; 1999 May 23-27; Missoula, MT
Location
Missoula, MT
Publication Date
2000
Volume
4
First Page
128
Last Page
133
Abstract
While the concept of “acceptability” is central to the Limits of Acceptable Change (LAC) framework, there is inadequate understanding of how “acceptability” is judged and how unacceptable conditions affect visitor experiences. To address this knowledge gap, visitors to nine wilderness areas were interviewed. Judgments of social and environmental conditions fell into three categories: acceptance, nonacceptance, and conditional acceptance (in which visitors were not entirely satisfied but felt that achieving a more acceptable condition might have negative consequences). Persons expressing conditional acceptance used one or more of three coping strategies: rationalization, within-setting displacement or remediative behavior. Environmental impacts were more likely to be judged unacceptable than social impacts, especially in urban-proximate settings.
Recommended Citation
Hoss, Amy F.; Brunson, Mark W. 2000. Meanings and implications of acceptability judgements for wilderness use impacts. In: Cole, David N.; McCool, Stephen F.; Borrie, William T.; O Loughlin, Jennifer, comps. 2000. Wilderness science in a time of change conference Volume 4: Wilderness visitors, experiences, and visitor management; 1999 May 23 27; Missoula, MT. Proceedings RMRS-P-15-VOL-4. Ogden, UT: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. p. 128-133
Comments
in Cole, D.N., and S.F. McCool, eds. Wilderness Science in a Time of Change Conference — Volume 4: Wilderness Visitors, Experiences, and Visitor Management. Proceedings RMRS-P-15. Ogden, UT: USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station.