Comparing Place Attachment and Visitors' Environmental Ethic: a Study of Lake Mcmurtry Visitors

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to understand the relationship between visitors' place attachment at a nearby lake (Lake McMurtry) and their environmental ethic. This study utilized two scales, the Place Attachment scale (Williams & Vaske, 2003) and the New Ecological Paradigm scale (Dunlap, 2008) with both face-to-face and online surveys. A significant relationship was found between visitor's place attachment to Lake McMurtry and their environmental ethic (r(279) = .156, p<0.01); however, the relationship between place identity and environmental ethic was found to be stronger (r(279) = .347, p<0.01). A number of demographic variables were also collected and significant correlations were found with both place attachment and environmental ethic leading to conclusions that time associated with Lake McMurtry, the number of activities respondents participate in at Lake McMurtry, and respondent's levels of education all play a role in a person's environmental ethic and place attachment. It was concluded that the visitor's to Lake McMurtry could be identifying with a lake setting, since there are many in Oklahoma, but may not form strong attachments to Lake McMurtry specifically; therefore, utilizing the lake and its resources because it is nearby and convenient.