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Office OBS 8.04
Tel +64 3 479 4293
Email susan.hougemackenzie@otago.ac.nz

BackgroundSusan Houge Mackenzie webpage photo

Susan joined the department in 2017. Her research integrates psychology and tourism by developing and applying positive psychology theories, such as flow, self-determination theory, and reversal theory, to adventure tourism, sport, recreation, and education contexts.

Her primary research focuses on:

  • Links between nature-based adventure and well-being for tourists, recreationalists, tourism guides, and/or host communities.
  • Links between outdoor adventure and motivation in physical activity and science education.
  • The regenerative tourism movement in Aotearoa, particularly in relation to community well-being
  • Translational research that applies theoretical developments into practical applications for the tourism industry.
  • Mixed methods (e.g. qualitative research, survey research, autoethnography, stimulated recall using head-mounted cameras)

Susan was previously a tourism practitioner in a diverse range of tourism industry roles globally (e.g. adventure guiding, tourism consulting) and she has worked alongside regional tourism organisations seeking to embrace regenerative planning and management processes.

Her applied projects include mental skill training workshops, developing management guidelines for adventure tourism operations, and consulting with government, non-profit, and tourism agencies, such as New Zealand riverboarding, the United States Forest Service, New Zealand Ministry of Tourism, and the History Channel. She serves on advisory boards for Tourism Central Otago, the Adventure Tourism Research Association, and the Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, and is an Associate Editor for the Journal of Outdoor Recreation, Education and Leadership.

Learn more about Susan's research and projects:

ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Susan_Houge_Mackenzie

Her work currently focuses on: nature-based adventure and well-being for tourists, guides, and hosts; regenerative tourism in Aotearoa; and refining the flow model of optimal experience. Susan's research seeks to translating theoretical developments into practical applications. Applications include using outdoor adventure to promote physical activity and science education; developing risk management frameworks and guide training for adventure tourism; mental skill training for youth athletes; and consulting with government, non-profit, and tourism agencies. She serves in advisory roles with the Central Otago Tourism Advisory Board, the Adventure Tourism Research Association, and the Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, and as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Outdoor Recreation, Education and Leadership.

Publications

Houge Mackenzie, S., Boudreau, P., & Hodge, K. (2023). Evaluating a model of flow and clutch optimal psychological states in adventure recreation. Leisure Sciences. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1080/01490400.2023.2261917

Houge Mackenzie, S. (2023). Your move chief: What can Good Will Hunting teach us about AI and outdoor adventure? [Contribution to the article The impact of artificial intelligence on adventure education and outdoor learning: International perspectives]. Journal of Adventure Education & Outdoor Learning. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1080/14729679.2023.2248302

Schnitzer, M., Houge Mackenzie, S., & Kopp, M. (2023). Editorial: Planetary health challenges and physical activity. Frontiers in Public Health, 11, 1240097. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1240097

Jackson, S. A., Eklund, R. C., Gordon, A., Norsworthy, C., Houge Mackenzie, S., Hodge, K., & Stephen, S. A. (2023). Flow and outdoor adventure recreation: Using flow measures to re-examine motives for participation. Psychology of Sport & Exercise, 67, 102427. doi: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2023.102427

Rahmani, Z., Houge Mackenzie, S., & Carr, A. (2023). How virtual wellness retreat experiences may influence psychological well-being. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Management. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1016/j.jhtm.2023.03.007

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