Multiple Dimensions of Meaning in the Domains of Work, Family, and Leisure

Abstract

Leisure has been defined in ways that suggest that its properties are unique. In an effort to establish a field of inquiry, leisure has often been separated from work and family roles and dimensions of meaning. One premise is that work, family/community, and leisure can each be identified respectively by the central dimension of productivity, bonding, and freedom. Considerable research, however, has found both intrinsic and extrinsic meanings for work as well as multiple outcomes and motivations for leisure. Further, relationships among the domains have often been studied in an “either/or” framework that has obscured their possible commonalities. A previous study found that commitment and satisfaction in one domain does not exclude balancing meanings in the others. This exploratory study extends the line of research by developing measures of the dimensions of commitment, satisfaction, social relationships, productivity, development and learning, experience and involvement, and disengagement in the three domains of work, family/community, and leisure. Family/community and leisure were found higher than work in commitment and satisfaction as well as in all other dimensions except for productivity in which work scored higher than leisure. The three domains were found to be multi-dimensional with shared rather than exclusive meanings. In further analysis, the three domains retained their integrity even though they are multi-dimensional. In a pattern of balance, family/community and leisure were closely related with the work domain more distinct. Work conditions and life circumstances did not sharply differentiate most dimensions although age and job category were related to job commitment. Further research is proposed with more diverse samples and revised measures.