{"id":{"repo_id":"vt","oai_identifier":"oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/36995"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/vt/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/36995","repository":{"repo_id":"vt","name":"Virginia Tech","base_url":"https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Participation in Park Interpretive Programs and Visitors; Attitudes, Norms, and Behavior about Petrified Wood Theft","abstract":"The purpose of this study was to understand the relationships between participation in park interpretive programs and attitudes, norms and behavior about theft of petrified wood at Petrified Forest National Park (PFNP). The Theory of Reasoned Action guided the research. Data collection included observation of theft behavior, on-site interviews and mailback questionnaires. Findings indicated that more time spent at interpretive centers and programs did not result in visitors; attitudes and norms about individual acts of wood theft being more negative. Also, attitudes and norms about petrified wood theft did not vary by type of interpretive programs judged most helpful in learning the park;s story and in learning the park;s rules and regulations. Tentative evidence suggests that the norm against taking a handful of wood was stronger among individuals who cited visitor centers as their most helpful source than it was for respondents who said the same about other national park interpretive programs. Similarly, the attitude variable that it is all right to take a piece of petrified wood as long as it is a small piece did vary for two categories of interpretive programs (other national park programs and all ranger programs). Ranger programs measured significantly higher than other national park programs. The rate of theft of petrified wood was not inversely related to the amount of interpretive programs participated in and did not vary by type of interpretation judged most helpful. Finally, attitudes and norms about petrified wood theft did not shape theft behavior. However, knowing visitors; attitudes helped to predict who would be a non-thief.","abstract_html":"The purpose of this study was to understand the relationships between participation in park interpretive programs and attitudes, norms and behavior about theft of petrified wood at Petrified Forest National Park (PFNP). The Theory of Reasoned Action guided the research. Data collection included observation of theft behavior, on-site interviews and mailback questionnaires. Findings indicated that more time spent at interpretive centers and programs did not result in visitors; attitudes and norms about individual acts of wood theft being more negative. Also, attitudes and norms about petrified wood theft did not vary by type of interpretive programs judged most helpful in learning the park;s story and in learning the park;s rules and regulations. Tentative evidence suggests that the norm against taking a handful of wood was stronger among individuals who cited visitor centers as their most helpful source than it was for respondents who said the same about other national park interpretive programs. Similarly, the attitude variable that it is all right to take a piece of petrified wood as long as it is a small piece did vary for two categories of interpretive programs (other national park programs and all ranger programs). Ranger programs measured significantly higher than other national park programs. The rate of theft of petrified wood was not inversely related to the amount of interpretive programs participated in and did not vary by type of interpretation judged most helpful. Finally, attitudes and norms about petrified wood theft did not shape theft behavior. However, knowing visitors; attitudes helped to predict who would be a non-thief.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Chandool, Neemedass"],"institution":"Virginia Tech","degree_name":"Master of Science","degree_level":"masters","degree_discipline":"Forestry","degree_department":"Forestry","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":["Roggenbuck, Joseph W."],"committee_members":["Hall, Troy E.","Hull, Robert Bruce IV"],"year":1997,"date_issued":"1997-08-04","date_published":"1997-08-04","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:20:08Z","subjects":["Attitudes","Norms","Behavior","Interpretive Programs"],"languages":[],"rights":["In Copyright"],"rights_urls":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["etd-82497-191213"],"render_values":[{"text":"etd-82497-191213","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/10919/36995","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.committeechair","label":"Committee Chair","values":["Roggenbuck, Joseph W."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Hall, Troy E.","Hull, Robert Bruce IV"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Forestry"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Chandool, Neemedass"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2014-03-14T20:52:26Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2014-03-14T20:52:26Z","1997-09-25"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["1997-08-04"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Virginia Tech"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Forestry"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Attitudes","Norms","Behavior","Interpretive Programs"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["In Copyright"]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["etd-82497-191213"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/36995"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The purpose of this study was to understand the relationships between participation in park interpretive programs and attitudes, norms and behavior about theft of petrified wood at Petrified Forest National Park (PFNP). The Theory of Reasoned Action guided the research. Data collection included observation of theft behavior, on-site interviews and mailback questionnaires. Findings indicated that more time spent at interpretive centers and programs did not result in visitors; attitudes and norms about individual acts of wood theft being more negative. Also, attitudes and norms about petrified wood theft did not vary by type of interpretive programs judged most helpful in learning the park;s story and in learning the park;s rules and regulations. Tentative evidence suggests that the norm against taking a handful of wood was stronger among individuals who cited visitor centers as their most helpful source than it was for respondents who said the same about other national park interpretive programs. Similarly, the attitude variable that it is all right to take a piece of petrified wood as long as it is a small piece did vary for two categories of interpretive programs (other national park programs and all ranger programs). Ranger programs measured significantly higher than other national park programs. The rate of theft of petrified wood was not inversely related to the amount of interpretive programs participated in and did not vary by type of interpretation judged most helpful. Finally, attitudes and norms about petrified wood theft did not shape theft behavior. However, knowing visitors; attitudes helped to predict who would be a non-thief."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Participation in Park Interpretive Programs and Visitors; Attitudes, Norms, and Behavior about Petrified Wood Theft"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.committeechair":["Roggenbuck, Joseph W."],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Hall, Troy E.","Hull, Robert Bruce IV"],"dc:contributor.department":["Forestry"],"dc:creator":["Chandool, Neemedass"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2014-03-14T20:52:26Z"],"dc:date.available":["2014-03-14T20:52:26Z","1997-09-25"],"dc:date.issued":["1997-08-04"],"dc:description.abstract":["The purpose of this study was to understand the relationships between participation in park interpretive programs and attitudes, norms and behavior about theft of petrified wood at Petrified Forest National Park (PFNP). The Theory of Reasoned Action guided the research. Data collection included observation of theft behavior, on-site interviews and mailback questionnaires. Findings indicated that more time spent at interpretive centers and programs did not result in visitors; attitudes and norms about individual acts of wood theft being more negative. Also, attitudes and norms about petrified wood theft did not vary by type of interpretive programs judged most helpful in learning the park;s story and in learning the park;s rules and regulations. Tentative evidence suggests that the norm against taking a handful of wood was stronger among individuals who cited visitor centers as their most helpful source than it was for respondents who said the same about other national park interpretive programs. Similarly, the attitude variable that it is all right to take a piece of petrified wood as long as it is a small piece did vary for two categories of interpretive programs (other national park programs and all ranger programs). Ranger programs measured significantly higher than other national park programs. The rate of theft of petrified wood was not inversely related to the amount of interpretive programs participated in and did not vary by type of interpretation judged most helpful. Finally, attitudes and norms about petrified wood theft did not shape theft behavior. However, knowing visitors; attitudes helped to predict who would be a non-thief."],"dc:description.degree":["Master of Science"],"dc:identifier.other":["etd-82497-191213"],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/36995"],"dc:publisher":["Virginia Tech"],"dc:rights":["In Copyright"],"dc:rights.uri":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"dc:subject":["Attitudes","Norms","Behavior","Interpretive Programs"],"dc:title":["Participation in Park Interpretive Programs and Visitors; Attitudes, Norms, and Behavior about Petrified Wood Theft"],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Forestry"],"thesis:degree_level":["masters"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science"],"thesis:institution_name":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:20:08Z"}