Cognitive dimensions of wilderness privacy: An 18-year trend comparison

In 1999, replication of a 1981 study was conducted as exactly as possible a s the 1981 study, involving the same number of respondents (n = 109), unive rsities, recreation management classes, classroom-administered questionnair e, and data analysis. Cognitive states of privacy were measured using a 20- item scale, rated on a 7-point importance continuum. Trend analysis involve d individual scale item and factor analysis comparisons between the 1981 ve rsus 1999 data. Twelve of the 20 scale items were rated significantly diffe rent (p less than or equal to .05) over the 18-year period, with 11 of the 12 items rated higher by 1999 respondents. Today's students found cognitive aspects of freedom of choice concerning interactions, use of time and acti ons, rules/constraints of society, and everyday pressure/tensions more impo rtant than did 1981 students. The major factor differences between years we re the following: The Intimacy factor increased in importance and was perce ived more consistently (reliability alphas) in 1999 and Individualism chang ed the most of any factor in the dimension structure.