BENEFICIOS INTELIGENCIA EMOCIONAL

As mentioned earlier, Iso-Ahola et al. (1989) divided perceived competence to “General Perceived Competence” and “Specific Perceived Competence”. The findings related to general perceived competence were summarised in Table 8. Participants were asked to rate themselves as a backpacker in addition to their backpacking skills in a 4-point scale (where 1=poor, 2=average, 3=good, and 4= very good). The Cronbach alpha of .91 for general perceived competence indicated very good internal consistency (Iso-Ahola et al., 1989).

Table 8

General Perceived Competence

Items N Mean Rank Std.

Deviation

General perceived Competence 185 2.47 .846 How you rate your backpacking skills? 185 2.68 1 .915 How you rate yourself as a backpacker? 185 2.25 2 .894

Measure on a 1 to 4 scale, where 1= poor, and 4= very good

The composite Mean score of 2.47 with a .846 Standard Deviation, indicated that participants mostly considered themselves and their backpacking skills above the intermediate level, but not advanced.

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Results related to specific perceived competence were shown in Table 9. Participants were asked about their feelings in their last backpacking experience in a 5-point Likert scale where 1=strongly disagree, to 5=strongly agree. The Cronbach alpha of .76 for specific perceived competence (Iso-Ahola et al., 1989) indicated an adequate internal consistency.

Table 9

Specific Perceived Competence

Items N Mean Rank Std.

Deviation

Specific perceived Competence 4.15 .694 My last backpacking experience was a waste of time 183 4.73 1 .695 (reverse coding)

I was disappointed with my last backpacking experience 182 4.47 2 .902 (reverse coding)

I was satisfied with my last backpacking experience 185 4.19 3 1.050 My previous backpacking experience did not go as well 183 4.08 4 1.122 As I expected to (reverse coding)

My last backpacking experience was done with the same 182 3.25 5 1.257 skills of the previous ones

Measured on a 1 to 5 scale, where 1=strongly disagree, and 5=strongly agree

The original scale related to specific perceived competence was designed with a mixture of positive and negative items. Due to internal consistency of the scale, three out of five sentences were reverse coded in a process where the responses to the negative items were literally reversed, so that a 1 became a 5, a 2 became a 4, and so on. The high composite Mean score of 4.15 with a Standard Deviation of .694 revealed that participants were highly satisfied with their abilities and experiences in their most recent backpacking activity which was much higher than the composite Mean score of general perceived competence (M=2.47 out of 4).

87 4.6.4 Basic Travel Motivations

Table 10 shows the results of basic travel motivations. The scale of basic motivation in the questionnaire was measured on a 1 to 5 scale where 1= strongly disagree to 5= strongly agree. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient ranged from .58 to .80 indicated rather adequate internal consistency for most of the variables (Fodness, 1994, Paris & Lee, 2010). Participants generally indicated that searching for new experiences was their main motivation for backpacking trips. The statement

“I’m always looking for new experiences” had the highest Mean score (4.16) and the lowest Standard Deviation (.961), which indicated general agreement among backpackers considering knowledge-seeking factor as an important motive. Getting involved in nature was another motivation for participants to go backpacking based on the statement “to be in a calm atmosphere like nature is my idea of a perfect backpacking experience” with the Mean score of 3.57 and a 1.112 Standard Deviation. It indicated that the knowledge-seeking (experience different things to broaden outlines of life), and relaxation-seeking (vacation is without purpose other than rest and relax or getting away from pressures and responsibilities) were the most important factors of basic motivation among participants, which were also consistent with what Paris and Teye argued recently. In 2010, they suggested that knowledge-seeking and relaxation factors are the core motivations among backpackers.

88 Table 10

Basic Travel Motivations

Motivation Variables N Mean Rank Std.

Deviation

I’m always looking for new experiences to increase my knowledge 181 4.16 1 .961 To be in a calm atmosphere like nature is my idea of perfect trip 181 3.57 2 1.112 When I get home from backpacking travel, I tell everybody about it 181 3.50 3 1.148 Going on backpacking with someone is more fun than going alone 181 3.44 4 1.097 Backpacking is always a new adventure, I never go to the same place 180 3.42 5 1.237 twice

Measured on a 1 to 5 scale, where 1= strongly disagree and 5= strongly agree

Self-expression was questioned in the statement “when I get home from a backpacking travel, I tell everybody about it” with the Mean score of 3.50 and a 1.148 Standard Deviation.

Kelly (1987) asserted that leisure may have a strong influence on the self-affirmation process which is individuals’ tendency to validate their self-image in order to look desirable asSchlenker (1984) explained. Social aspects of backpacking experience, questioned through the statement

“Going on backpacking with someone is more fun that going alone”, received a Mean score of 3.44 and a 1.097 Standard deviation, which was consistent with previous findings of this study that most Canadians prefer to go backpacking with another person they know. Backpacking to the same place twice with a Mean score of 3.42 is on the same range of the previous one, however, the rather higher Standard Deviation of 1.237 highlighted that it may vary from participant to participant.

Bello and Etzel’s (1985) findings that novelty tourists rarely return to the same destination may justify the low mean score of this item.

The findings were very consistent with Richards and Wilson’s (2004b). Through Factor analysis of the motivations expressed by the travellers, these two researchers proposed four main factors of experience seeking, relaxation seeking, sociability, and contributing to the destination

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as main motivations of travellers, mainly backpackers. However, the factor of self-expression (with a higher Mean score than sociability and contributing to the destination) had not been included in their study.