Image and satisfaction in recreational settings

Abstract

The concepts of image and satisfaction have been the subject of psychological investigation and of marketing application for some time but they have not been comprehensively studied in public recreation settings. This thesis is concerned with how these two phenomena can be measured in recreational settings; how they interrelate with each other, and how practical application of knowledge about them might be made in the management of recreation facilities. Research data were collected from a sample of 103 users of Wellington District Walkways and from 100 users of the Victoria University of Wellington Union Recreation Centre. The data were subjected to a variety of statistical analyses intended to extract significant components of image and satisfaction; to determine the overall image of and satisfaction with each site; and to define the nature of the relationship between the two concepts. The main findings were: 1. that an index of both image and satisfaction could be achieved for at least two dissimilar recreational settings; 2. that a combination of methods of measuring both image and satisfaction produced the most accurate and useful results; 3. that image and level of satisfaction were directly related; 4. that certain types of needs were the most salient motivators of recreational behaviour; 5. that level of aspiration theory accurately explained the respondent-reported levels of satisfaction, as well as the relationship between image and satisfaction; 6. and, that image and satisfaction were perceived similarly by males and females.