A Replication of the Internal Validity and Reliability of a Multivariable Index to Measure Recreation Specialization

Salz, Loomis, and Finn (2001) developed and tested a multivariable index to segment outdoor recreationists into specialization levels. The items in this index were based on the characteristics of social worlds, as described by Unruh (1979). This index, however, has been infrequently used by other investigators since its publication, perhaps because of concerns about validity and reliability across time and populations. This research note replicates the findings of Salz et al. on three user group populations (SCUBA divers, saltwater anglers, snorkelers) in six U.S. states. We found strong support for the index developed by Salz et al. and suggest that specialization researchers creating other multivariable measures of recreation specialization ground them in social theory and conduct similar analyses of their indices.