The Connectedness with Nature of Chinese Adolescent Tourists: A Q Method Approach

Abstract

A systematic understanding of Chinese adolescent tourists' connectedness with nature is helpful to illustrate the coming cultural turn in self-nature relationship. However, the existing research is almost based on the Western cultural context and follow the Western approach. Employing the Q method, this study aims to investigate the diverse patterns of CWN from the perspective of 36 adolescent tourists in Xi'an and Shenzhen, China. Our initial findings show four distinct patterns are relevant in the participants' CWN, including individuals' ecological self, subjective feelings about nature, positive experiences with nature, and cognitive beliefs about nature. In addition, a theoretical framework of four underlying continuums is developed to clarify how a complex process of co-construction reveals patterns of CWN. This study offers suggestions for destination management and environmental education.