River Float Trip Encounter Norms: Questioning the Use of the Social Norms Concept

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Abstract
Recreationists' norms about acceptable use levels and impacts can help managers make appropriate and defensible decisions. To be useful, a large percentage of recreationists must have norms and there must be shared agreement or consensus among the norms. Contrary to the stated or implied findings of recent published research, fewer than half of the New River whitewater rafters in our study had norms about appropriate encounter levels for most types of experiences. Many said encounters made no difference, or said they made a difference but couldn't give a number. For those who had norms, consensus was not strong. While a few differences in extent of norm agreement were found between such subgroups as commercial versus private boaters, subgroup agreement seldom appeared to exceed that of the population as a whole. Our findings suggest a need for greater clarity in definition, measurement and reports of recreation norms, recognition of theoretical developments on the meaning of norms, and greater precision in the specification, measurement, and managerial implications of social versus personal norms.