Conflict in Outdoor Recreation: A Theoretical Perspective

The causes of conflict among users of outdoor recreation resources have received little attention from recreation researchers. Knowledge of factors responsible for conflicts might assist recreation planners' attempts to reduce future instances of conflict and help management focus its conflict resolution efforts. Building a theory of conflict is the first step in systematically procuring such knowledge. A theoretical interpretation of conflict and identification of its characteristics within outdoor recreation are presented. Four causes of user conflicts are proposed; ten propositions link these concepts to conflict. While operationalized terms and hypotheses are not presented, the theoretical propositions provided are intended to guide their development.