Discussion of TAT Responses

65 EDUCATION AGE FACTOR1 FACTOR2 MIGRATION RESIDENCE Aesthetic -0.084 -0.333 0.084 -0.019 -0.138 -0.052 17 Intrinsic 0.258 -0.055 0.054 -0.069 -0.043 0.058 12 Conservation 0.424 -0.055 -0.015 0.235 0.087 -0.210 8 Utility 0.017 0.402 -0.115 0.197 0.144 -0.065 14 Pro-development -0.138 0.154 0.061 -0.092 0.173 -0.040 6 Anti-development 0.423 -0.028 -0.098 0.186 0.226 -0.264 6 Exclusion 0.036 -0.239 -0.208 0.112 -0.032 -0.240 5 Social Problems -0.128 -0.149 -0.140 0.051 -0.110 -O.095 4 Env. Problems 0.206 -0.083 -0.274 0.057 -0.040 -0.334 6 Natural Features-0.319 -0.204 0.117 -0.270 -0.001 -0.317 8 Habitat -0.230 -0.312 -0.132 0.065 0.025 -0.340 8 Order 0.180 -0.110 0.347 -0.201 -0.006 0.122 5 Freedom 0.019 0.304 -0.052 -0.164 -0.054 0.149 1 State of the 0.299 -0.355 -0.035 0.144 -0.081 -0.176 5 Resource N= 32 or 33 p0.05 p0.02 based on uncorrected probabilities

10.5.2 Discussion of TAT Responses

The most frequent TAT response mentions the aesthetic value of nature. Second in frequency were statements about utility. Statements about the intrinsic value of nature were the third most frequent response. These responses indicated that while people hold a utilitarian view of tourism and the natural environment, the high appreciation of the aesthetic value of nature means that respondents also believe that these resources hold a higher value than what can be economically produced from them. EDUCATION, AGE, and WEALTH were significantly related to TAT responses. EDUCATION was strongly correlated with conservation and anti- development statements p0.02. These relationships may exist because formal education can provide people with the exposure to various forms of media i.e. the ability to read newspapers, books, etc. and the ability to critically analyze this material. Thus, those with more years of formal education may be more exposed to ideas about conservation and the negative effects of tourism. AGE was positively correlated with statements regarding utility and negatively correlated with statements regarding the state of the resource. Pollnac 2000 found a similar relationship with age in Indonesia. The positive correlation between AGE and utilitarian responses may reflect values and perceptions held by different generations regarding natural resources. Comments by older community members and pioneers of the area often expressed a mentality that associated nature with hardship, and that man is supposed to have control over nature. For example, a pioneer describes Mahahual when he first arrived as follows: “The forest was really ugly, the roads were only paths for cows, I had to cut it all.” Another man of 55 years old remarks “in 5 years, the forest will be better because it will be cut down.” Statements such as these indicate that nature is bad if it is not utilized for human purposes. AGE was also negatively correlated with responses to the state of the resource, indicating that younger people were more likely to describe the state of the resource. 66 An interesting relationship was that between WEALTH and statements regarding order. This relationship could indicate that wealthier people are accustomed to having more influence over their environment and generally believe that things can change. For example, saying that the beach is dirty implies that it could be clean. Wealthier people may be more likely to point out potential problems or solutions, rather than perceive themselves as victims of circumstance. This sense of empowerment is crucial in an ICM context because people who believe that change can occur could be more likely to take an active role in promoting change. 10.6 Migration 10.6.1 Perceptions about Migration