An investigation of gender, parenthood, and marital status on perceptions and attitudes toward risk in outdoor recreation

While some literature exists in the role of gender in outdoor recreationists’ participation and risk perception, the nature and influence of gender roles shaping the perceptions and attitudes held by the general population toward risk in outdoor recreation is less known. Drawing on a global, quantitative survey dataset (3241 men and 1906 women), this research aims to extend the existing literature, examining the potential mediatory effects of gender, parenthood, and age on perceptions and attitudes toward risk in outdoor recreation. The results demonstrate that such gender differences exist in our study cohort, correlating with females who had assumed the role of motherhood, but not for men who had assumed the role of fatherhood. In younger generational cohorts, gender differences appeared to decrease, but intergenerational differences were related to women. This research contributes to knowledge by presenting gendered risk perceptions as fluid, influenced by parental status and life course.