A Study of Pleasure Travelers' Cognitive Distance Assessments

Distance was cited by respondents as their most important consideration when selecting a destination to which to drive for a seven-day pleasure vacation. Their cognitive distance estimates to 14 potential destinations were substantially different from the actual distances to those destinations. As actual distance increased, respondents' estimates of cognitive distance increased, but less than proportionately. Hypotheses postulating the direction of cognitive distance distortion were derived from the hierarchical theory, but they were not supported. In contrast, the results supported hypotheses derived from the nonhierarchical theory, postulating that active travelers, males, and longer-tenured residents in a commu nity would exhibit less cognitive distance distortion.