A test of the conceptual dimensions related to recreation specialization and their relationship to management preferences of southern Lake Michigan anglers

The purpose of this study was to test and compare a revised model of the recreation specialization concept as originally proposed by Bryan (1977). This research attempted to establish content validity, solve the problem of adding dimensions together, and operationalize the concept more exactly. In addition, it developed a three-variable (3V) model of recreation specialization and compared it to the traditional four-factor (4F) model, composed of past experience, ancillary activities, centrality to life, and perceived skill. The subjects used in this study consisted of 789 anglers who had fished southern Lake Michigan. Confirmatory factor analysis, multiple analysis of variance (MANOVA), and discriminant analysis were used to analyze the data. The results of this study confirmed the traditional 4F model as represented by the eleven measures used. The MANOVA results showed that the full 3V model composed of an activity, setting, and method measures accounted for more of the group variance than any other combination of the three variables. The discriminant analysis results showed that the 3V model accounted for more than three times the variability due to group differences than the 4F model. The information contained in this study has important theoretical implications for developing a life course perspective as well as a developmental approach to the concept of recreation specialization. The results also provide a foundation for future investigations concerning the recreation specialization concept in terms of its conceptualization and operationalization. The 3V model also affords leisure service managers a simpler yet effective means for grouping participants in a recreation activity into more homogeneous categories.U of I OnlyETDs are only available to UIUC Users without author permissio