EXOGENOUS FACTORS AND VISITOR BEHAVIOR - A REGRESSION-ANALYSIS OF EXHIBIT VIEWING TIME

This study provides quantitative conclusions regarding the impact of s pecific exogenous factors on exhibit viewing time in zoological parks and discusses implications for exhibit design. Three features distingu ish this analysis from previous research concerning viewing time: (a) Data collection was preceded by extensive field work, to identify more than 50 variables with potential effects on viewing time; (b) the res ults of ethnographic interview techniques were combined with on-site o bservation and objective data to quantify and scale relevant variables ; and (c) multiple regression techniques were used to quantify and tes t unique quantitative effects of independent variables on observed vie wing time. The analysis compares recorded viewing times of 501 individ uals across 10 exhibits at six zoological parks.