Exploring the relationship between general and specific environmental attitudes and environmentally responsible behavioral intention: A survey of OHV and ATV riders in the Adirondacks

This study examines the relationship between measures of general and specific environmental attitudes and environmentally responsible behavioral intentions. In addition to measuring this relationship the effects of two variables, participation in outdoor recreation activities and community organizations, were also examined to explore their relationship to the study concepts. The purpose of this research is to further examine the relationship between the measures of environmental attitudes and environmentally responsible behavior at both the general and specific levels in a particular recreation group, Off Highway Vehicles (OHV) and All Terrain Vehicles (ATV) recreationists.;Using a mail survey, data was collected in the summer and fall of 2009. Surveys were coded and measures were analyzed using Principle Components Factor Analysis and cross-tabulations to check for relationships between each of the variables. Findings showed that relationships existed between measures of outdoor recreation participation and specific attitudes and behaviors, as well as between general and specific attitudes. Positive relationships were found between participation in environmental community organizations and measures of general environmental attitudes and environmentally responsible behaviors. In addition, the relationship between participation in OHV/ATV organizations was found to have a positive relationship with measures of specific environmental attitudes and environmentally responsible behaviors.;Keywords: ATV, OHV, attitudes, environmentally responsible behavior, intentions, recreation...