Visitor response to outdoor recreation conflict: A conceptual approach

Abstract

Abstract Outdoor recreation conflict involves both a visitor's perception of and response to conflict. While existing recreation conflict research has been insightful on factors leading to recreation conflict, it deals little with visitor response to conflict. To address the visitor‐response dimension in conflict, a conceptual framework based upon response to stressful situations is presented. The model, adapted from Lazarus and Folkman's (1984) stress‐response model, suggests personal and situational factors influence a series of appraisal processes that lead to a response to conflict. The conflict‐response framework is of particular interest since recreation research is deficient in this area.