Experience Shaping, Social Cues and Safety: Headphone Use and Non-Use While Hiking in the United States

We explore motivations for the use and non-use of headphones while hiking. In order to understand why people bring, or don't bring, headphones while hiking we analyzed 247 written responses to the question "why do you prefer to bring (or not bring) headphones when hiking?" We study headphones, rather than other forms of interactive computing like mobile phones, because headphone use and non-use splits survey respondents nearly in half with 51.5% stating that they do prefer to bring headphones while hiking and 48.5% stating that they do not. Those who bring headphones did so to enhance their hike by listening to music or other audio and to avoid social interaction. Those who do not bring headphones do so to fully enjoy the sounds of nature, to invite social interaction and to increase safety. Our results suggest that within the context of hiking as constructed in the United States, use and non-use decisions are motivated by shaping the intended hiking experience, social factors and safety. We view these motivations for non-use not as obstacles to be overcome in the proliferation of technology into hiking, but as nuanced themes to be considered as part of understanding technology in the broader context of hiking.