Benfield, J.A., Nurse, G.A., Jakubowski, R., Gibson, A., Taff, D ...

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10 Environment and BehaviorXX(X) Results and Discussion A correlation between the two separate NSS-SF measurement occasions as a test of temporal stability (i.e., test–retest reliability) was conducted. Results of that analysis showed that individual NSS-SF scores were internally consistent (α = .79 and .81 at Times 1 and 2, respectively), temporally stable (r = .83), and in line with the previously reported stability for the original 21-item NSS across a similar time period (r = .87 across 4 weeks; Zimmer & Ellermeier, 1999). Given these findings, in conjunction with the first two studies, it was concluded that the NSS-SF is psychometrically similar to the longer, wellestablished NSS. The NSS-SF had an identical factor structure as well as acceptable internal and temporal consistency; it was also highly correlated with the original scale and converged appropriately with other personality constructs (i.e., extraversion and neuroticism). However, given the larger purpose of the research project (i.e., to develop a short version of the NSS to facilitate the inclusion of individual differences into noise research), additional tests of the NSS-SF in field settings were deemed necessary. Study 4 Visitors to national parks are often surveyed by researchers for a wide range of purposes including satisfaction with or acceptability of conditions. Noise levels in parks are a source of conflict (e.g., Bell, Mace, & <strong>Benfield</strong>, 2009- 2010) and are under ongoing study as a result of legislative mandates (e.g., National Park Air Tour Management Act of 2000). Consequently, the NSS-SF should be of potential usefulness to such research. Study 4 used the NSS-SF in a noise-related study taking place in Rocky Mountain National Park located near Estes Park, Colorado. Method Participants. Sample demographics are reported in Table 1. Materials and Measures. Participants completed the NSS-SF, a brief demographic questionnaire, and a park visitor experience questionnaire. This questionnaire contained several items related directly to noise, including one set of item asking participants to rate along a 5-point range the degree to which different sound sources (i.e., auto traffic, park operations/construction, visitors talking, aircraft overflights, and personal electronic devices) were
<strong>Benfield</strong> et al. 11 problematic to the visit. Participants also rated the acceptability of hearing aircraft overflights during their visit based on varying amounts of temporal frequency (i.e., every 5, 15, 30, or 60 min). Procedure. Participants were recruited from the Bear Lake trailhead in Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park by selecting every nth person (dependent on daily visitor volume). These participants were asked to complete the survey packet containing the demographics, NSS-SF, and park visitor questionnaire. After completing the study, participants were debriefed regarding the purposes of the study. All surveying took place between August 9 and August 13, 2010; 67% of potential participants agreed to take part in the research. Results and Discussion Correlations were run between the NSS-SF score, and the ratings for the problematic noises and the aircraft noise frequency acceptability. Those relationships are given in Table 3. Generally, higher NSS-SF scores related to lower ratings of frequent aircraft overflight acceptability and higher ratings of most sounds as being problematic to visitation. However, these findings are not necessarily based on exposure to actual noise. Visitors to the national park reported certain sounds as being less acceptable or more problematic, but this could reflect attitudinal preferences more than the individual response to the actual problematic presence of those sounds. Nonetheless, the theoretically consistent relationship between noise sensitivity and individual attitudes toward different sounds in context does provide evidence that the NSS-SF performs in a manner consistent with theory and its longer counterpart. Study 5 A fifth and final study was run to test the relationship NSS-SF score has with responses to actual sound exposure in a different sample of national park visitors. It was hoped that surveying park visitor responses to a controlled set of auditory stimuli while including the NSS-SF would provide sufficient evidence when combined with the other studies to support the scale’s use in future noise research. Method Participants. Sample demographics are reported in Table 1.
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