A Cognitive Model for Recreational Spatial Behavior in an Urban Area

Southeastern Geographer Vol. XX, No. 2, November 1980, pp. 145-159 A COGNITIVE MODEL FOR RECREATIONAL SPATIAL REHAVIOR IN AN URRAN AREA Robert E. Lloyd and Robert Ader The spatial behavior of urban residents has been a general topic of considerable interest to geographers. In recent years behavioral geographers have considered models of spatial interaction that are based on variables derived from cognitive information and focus on the decisionmaking processes used by urban residents. The central points of interest in these types of studies include the relevant cognitive information used by decision-makers, how information about potential locations is evaluated by the decision-makers, and a prediction of each location's market share. (1) Market share is defined simply as the proportion of the population that should select each location given the cognitive information known about the potential locations. Research has tended to focus on a few specific types of behavior such as intraurban transportation, migration, and consumer behavior. (2) These three types of spatial behavior have received the greatest attention because they are forms of interaction required (and therefore exhibited ) by most urban residents. It has always been easier to design spatial interaction research around one of these three topics. Recause behavioral studies usually require one to interview subjects about their spatial behavior and because this requires considerable time and effort per contact, researchers have tended to study only types of spatial interaction that are not free choice in the sense that the subjects could choose not to react at all. There are, however, many other forms of spatial interaction which can and need to be submitted. Some of these choice processes are of little general interest because few individuals are involved (e.g., the massage parlor or taxidermist choice process). Other types of spatial Dr. Lloyd is Associate Professor of Geography at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC 29208. Mr. Ader is the Geographic Information System Specialistfor the National Coastal Ecosystems Team of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Slidell, LA 70458. 146Southeastern Geographer interaction, such as visiting urban parks for recreational activities, are common events for many, but not all, families. Recreational behavior is also an interesting contrast to the frequently studied forms of spatial behavior because some traditional considerations such as the relative cost of the activity at various locations is usually not relevant. Although a number of studies have investigated urban recreation, none has tried to model the spatial interaction using a model based on cognitive information . (3) Ry doing a case study in a representative suburban neighborhood this paper accomplishes three goals. First, a market share model based on cognitive variables related to the recreational decision-making process is specified and its component parts discussed in detail. Second, the model is used along with cognitive information gathered from residents of the study area to predict the market share for public parks near the study area. Third, the success of the cognitive model is evaluated by a statistical comparison of the market share predictions with the actual spatial behavior of the residents in the study area. This allows some conclusions to be made concerning the use of market share models for recreational problems and some generalizations to be made about the recreational behavior of the sample population. RESEARCH DESIGN. The study required a neighborhood that was located near a number of urban parks. After considering a number of possible locations in Columbia, South Carolina, the interview area was selected (Fig. 1). The 1970 census indicated that this upper middle class neighborhood had residents who were predominantly white (99.8 percent ), who had relatively high incomes (average income in 1970 equaled $21,480), and who were well educated (median school years completed equaled 16.1). (4) The basic research design problem was to specify a model that could accurately predict the proportion of the residents in the study area who would select each available park for their recreation activities. Over a three week period in October, 1978 a house-to-house interview was conducted and an attempt was made to contact all 283 households in the study area. At the end of that time 161 households had been contacted. Since this represented...