Influences of hand-held information and communication technology on risk behavior and the experience of wilderness visitors

Hand-held information and communication technology such as cell phones, Smartphones, satellite phones, personal locator beacons (PLBs) and Global Positioning System (GPS) units, have become a part our everyday lives for both informational and communication purposes. These devices influence the way we access and share information, the way we communicate with each other, and even the way we make decisions. As these technologies become more prolific, more people may bring them into the wilderness, affecting the wilderness experience and potentially influencing visitors' decision-making due to a perceived increase in safety because of the relative ease of requesting rescue. Through methods of a wilderness use survey (n= 635) and personal phone interviews (n=65), the study offers useful insight in how the PLB technology may influence wilderness visitors. Results show that wilderness visitors were able to enjoy the wilderness experience more worry and guilt free than they had without a device. Many said that it was an added precautionary tool, such as a first aid kit, flare gun or whistle, making them more prepared in the case of an emergency. One person compared it to wearing a seatbelt; the seatbelt increases the safety of the driving experience, and yet does not necessarily encourage the driver to take more risks while driving. We also found that carrying a device helped wilderness visitors travel without feeling guilty for causing their loved ones back home to worry about their safety. Solo travelers in particular, were able to enjoy the solitude of their wilderness experience more than they would have without a device. The only significant finding on how a device may influence risk-taking or decision making in the wilderness, was on the visitors' decision to travel alone. Many people felt they would be more likely to travel alone if they had a personal locator device. The device theoretically would replace the need for traveling in a group. Those that consider themselves to be risk takers said they would be just as likely to do the same activities with or without the device. Hand-held technology, by influencing the wilderness experience and risk behavior of the wilderness visitor, will lead to inevitable changes in what defines wilderness (solitude, sense of self-reliance, primitive experience, meeting nature on its own terms, developing self-rescue skills). The knowledge gained from this research may well be applied in the development of best management practices and guiding principles for the appropriate use of technology in the wilderness.