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. 2018 Apr 13:9:495.
doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00495. eCollection 2018.

Motorized Recreation Sounds Influence Nature Scene Evaluations: The Role of Attitude Moderators

Jacob Benfield  1 , B D Taff  2 , David Weinzimmer  3 , Peter Newman  2
Affiliations

Motorized Recreation Sounds Influence Nature Scene Evaluations: The Role of Attitude Moderators

Jacob Benfield et al. Front Psychol. .

Abstract

Soundscape assessment takes many forms, including letting the consequences of the soundscape be an indicator of soundscape quality or value. As a result, much social science research has been conducted to better quantify problem soundscapes and the subsequent effects on humans exposed to them. Visual evaluations of natural environments are one area where research has consistently shown detrimental effects of noisy or anthropogenic soundscapes (e.g., those containing noise from motorized recreation), but the potential moderating role of individual attitudes toward elements within the soundscape has not been sufficiently explored. This study demonstrates that both pro-motorized recreation and pro-motorized recreation management attitudes can alter the effect of motorized recreation noise on scenic evaluations in opposing directions. Pro-recreation attitudes lessen the effect of the soundscape, while pro-management attitudes heighten the negative effect of anthropogenic sounds on scenic evaluation. The implications for other areas of soundscape research, especially with regard to soundscape quality assessment through experienced outcomes, are discussed, including possible strategies for prioritizing known or relevant moderating variables.

Keywords: affect; motorcycle; national park; noise; overflight; resource management.

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Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Procedural diagram for landscape evaluation task and affective measures.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Moderating effect of (A) pro-motorized recreation attitudes or (B) pro-management of motorized recreation attitudes on composite scene evaluations in the presence of natural or anthropogenic sounds. Bars represent the minimum and maximum values for scene rating observed for participants with that corresponding attitude score.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Moderating effect of pro-motorized recreation attitudes on positive affect (A) and negative affect (B) or pro-management of motorized recreation attitudes on positive affect (C) and negative affect (D) in the presence of natural or anthropogenic sounds. Bars represent the minimum and maximum values for scene rating observed for participants with that corresponding attitude score.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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