Further clarification of interpersonal versus social values conflict: insights from motorized and non-motorized recreational river users

Abstract

This study examined interpersonal and social values conflict among motorized and non-motorized recreational river users within the Chena River State Recreation Area in interior Alaska. This work was undertaken in order to evaluate differences in research methodologies and to provide state park managers with information concerning the type and level of conflict among recreational rivers users and potential management strategies. Previous methodologies for operationalizing social values conflict are not conceptually clear and may result in individuals being classified into the wrong conflict typology. This study addressed these conceptual problems by: 1) introducing a new conflict typology to differentiate between social values conflict and latent problem behaviors and 2) by uniformly applying a non-behavior based measure to classify social values conflict. Data were collected using an on-site survey provided to motorized (n = 26) and non-motorized (n = 63) recreational river users at multiple put-in/take-out locations. To the extent conflict existed, social values conflict was the most prevalent. A small but perceptible number of respondents in both user groups reported a latent-behavior conflict. Based on these data, results generated using the methods in this study were compared to the results generated using previous methodologies. Differences were found between the number of non-motorized respondents who were classified into the no conflict and social values conflict typologies. Based on the results, a combination of management strategies such as education and outreach and alternative infrastructure development should be used to reduce conflict among users.