“Other People, Other Times and Special Places”: A Social Representations Perspective of Cycling in a Tourism Destination was published on June 15, 2009, in the Tourism and Hospitality Planning & Development journal. Both of the authors, Janet E. Dickinson and Derek Robbins, are professors in the University of Bournemouth. This study uses the social representations theory (Moscovici & Hewstone, 1983) as research framework to analyze cycling in a UK tourism destination (Purbeck, Dorset). In the abstract, the authors clearly explain that a mixed methods approach was used. Firstly, an in-depth interview was conducted to explore and provide knowledge of social contexts. The interview results then facilitated a subsequent quantitative phase, which
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They reviewed the cycling literature comprehensively and addressed that there was a gap of lacking social context related research to encourage cycling. Then, they used case study and an inductive approach (open questioning techniques) to interview 13 key informants, resident in Purbeck, recruited through local contacts, and four regular cyclists. I think that case study is a suitable research approach for this study, as it can examine the area context and allows for a wide range of stakeholder views. Next, the data was analyzed by identifying themes that emerged from the interview and focused on pervasive ideas about transport and tourism, which established a social representations framework for the study. From the emerged themes, an attribute checklist was developed and used to ask 776 respondents to indicate whether a series of statements applied to car, bus, cycle, walk or none of these. The quantitative data were mapped out for visual …show more content…
They have been labeled as quantitative reductionists post-positivist studies that are more reflexive and address the social construction of reality. This study actually helps me to think deeply and broadly about my dissertation. When examining one research topic, there are several possibilities that a researcher should consider. In cycling research, many previous studies address the significance of physical environment. Even though the social interaction is crucial to cycling tourism, few studies pay attention to this area. Therefore, the social representation theory may become one of my dissertation’s guiding frameworks to make my research more “comprehensively”. However, I think that I will try different research methods, such as photo elicitation or focus group, to answer the
They reviewed the cycling literature comprehensively and addressed that there was a gap of lacking social context related research to encourage cycling. Then, they used case study and an inductive approach (open questioning techniques) to interview 13 key informants, resident in Purbeck, recruited through local contacts, and four regular cyclists. I think that case study is a suitable research approach for this study, as it can examine the area context and allows for a wide range of stakeholder views. Next, the data was analyzed by identifying themes that emerged from the interview and focused on pervasive ideas about transport and tourism, which established a social representations framework for the study. From the emerged themes, an attribute checklist was developed and used to ask 776 respondents to indicate whether a series of statements applied to car, bus, cycle, walk or none of these. The quantitative data were mapped out for visual …show more content…
They have been labeled as quantitative reductionists post-positivist studies that are more reflexive and address the social construction of reality. This study actually helps me to think deeply and broadly about my dissertation. When examining one research topic, there are several possibilities that a researcher should consider. In cycling research, many previous studies address the significance of physical environment. Even though the social interaction is crucial to cycling tourism, few studies pay attention to this area. Therefore, the social representation theory may become one of my dissertation’s guiding frameworks to make my research more “comprehensively”. However, I think that I will try different research methods, such as photo elicitation or focus group, to answer the