A CONCEPTUAL AND EXPERIMENTAL BASIS FOR RESEARCH IN THE PSYCHOLOGY OF LEISURE

Abstract

ABSTRACT It is vogue to define leisure as a “state of mind” rather than time or activity. Subjective definitions make difficult the psychological study of leisure, though it appears imperative that the psychological assumptions underlying the leisure state be examined. Factors such as freedom of choice, intrinsic-extrinsic motivation, work/leisure attitudes, personality dispositions, et cetera, must be examined. One barrier to research is the failure to recognize the “leisure state” as both a permanent cognitive disposition (attitude) and a transient disposition (experience). Leisure “experience” is more amenable to psychological research techniques used in the laboratory. Leisure “attitudes” might best be examined in longitudinal studies. Operationalizing the leisure state has provided an additional barrier to research. A number of measures are discussed. To illustrate the approach an exploratory experiment examining the effects of freedom of choice and competitive motivation on the leisure “experience” derived from an activity is discussed. A time duration estimate scale, a situational memory test, and a mood checklist operationalized leisure “experience”. Subjects having no choice estimated significantly longer activity involvement for a standard time period than high choice subjects (p <. 05). Significant (p <. 01) effects for competitiveness and choice demonstrated that awareness of the immediate environment decreased as a function of greater competitiveness and choice in an activity.