Research note: Functions of privacy in Australian wilderness environments

Abstract This study was a replication and extension of Hammitt and Brown's (1984) original research on Westin's (1967) privacy theory. Hammitt and Brown's study identified five factors related to Junctions of wilderness privacy: Emotional Release, Personal Autonomy, Reflective Thought, Limited Communication—Personal Distance, and Limited Communication—Intimacy. This study followed a similar approach but was concerned with Australian wilderness privacy rather than American. Fifty‐five experienced wilderness users rated 24 wilderness privacy items for level of importance. Confirmatory factor analysis failed to fully support Hammitt and Brown's original five‐factor model or Westin's four‐function theory. However, exploratory factor analysis produced six meaningful factors that lent support to the original work. Once again, emotional release was found to be the most important function of wilderness privacy in Australia, as was the case with Hammitt and Brown's original study in America.