Enhancing the Leisure Experience: Motivations, Meanings and Constraints

1. Enhancing the Leisure Experience: Motivations, Meanings and Constraints Chapter 7 HPR 452

2. Motivation: what is it? • Behavior is preceded by a need or motive • Engagement in the behavior may result in fulfillment or the need that originally motivated involvement • Feedback on the success, or failure, of the activity in meeting needs results in continuation or cessation of the activity Mannell and Kleiber (1977) • Motives are a crucial part of the leisure experience

3. Lifelong leisure activity involvement such as Victor Logan, the violin craftsman… • Provides meaning and is a part of his life • This is indicative of leisure for many older individuals • Why do people participate in leisure? Because it is enjoyable – but is this enough?

4. Leisure Motivation • Leisure is very personal – different meaning for different individuals • i.e. tennis – status, exercise, be with spouse, socialize w/ friends, do something outside, emulate a role model • Also, an activity may have different meanings on different days for the same individual • It is the meaning to the individual which is crucial

5. The meaning of the activity which determines if it is expressive leisure, social leisure or activity required by social roles • Iso-Ahola (1989) views motives as internal factors of driving behaviors – if NH residents participate for social interaction, why plan programs that do not include this factor? • Leisure providers must cultivate motivation

6. Reasons for Participating in Leisure • Havinghurst (1961) – pg 119 • Just for the pleasure • Welcome change from work • New experiences • Chances to be creative • Chance to achieve something • Contact with friends • Make time pass • Service to others • Determined by personality – not age, gender or social class

7. Leisure as a benefit • Nimrod (2007) – Retirees in Israel • Essentiality – Role expectations or developing competence • Growth – Personal development • Challenge – active engagement and good performance • Companionship – strengthening relationships • Work-Like – contradictory answers – either doing something different or similar to work • Havinghurst and Nimrod similarities – achievement, social interaction, link to work, growth opportunity

8. Leisure is defined by the meaning attached and not by the activity itself • So we need to understand “why” it is done • Gordon and Gaitz – “objectives of leisure” • Relaxation • Diversion • Self-development • Creativity • Sensual Transcendence pg 120

9. Kelly and Godbey (1992) – global concept • Psychological • Educational • Social • Relaxation • Physiological • Aesthetic

10. Lawton (1993) – Leisure in later life • Solitude • Intrinsic satisfaction • Diversion • Relaxation • Intellectual challenge • Health • Personal competence • Expression and personal development • Creativity • Social interaction • Opportunity for service • Social status

11. Intrinsic motivation – activities that people do naturally and spontaneously when they feel free to follow their inner interests • Leisure – not only pleasurable but good for you • Competence – explore, experiment, persist, and succeed • Individuals have a need to feel effective and interact successfully with their environment

12. Older individuals lose roles of competence • Leisure activities can replace these roles • Leisure opportunities should provide opportunities for challenge and progression from basic to advanced • Leisure service professionals should provide a wide array of opportunities

13. Autonomy vs Heteronomy • Self-organization vs. regulated by external forces • Autonomy is different from independence • You can be dependent for some needs but autonomous – intrinsic motivation, self-determination, self-regulation • Provide choice and control for older adults in leisure (types and schedules)

14. Relatedness • Feeling connected, cared for, and sense of belonging with significant others • Intrinsic motivation will be more likely to flourish when including relatedness • Older individuals reduce social ties and intensify the ones left • Flow – Individual skills are harmonious with the demands of the activity • Leisure service providers must give opportunity for individuals to identify outlets for Flow

15. Seeking and Escaping • Seeking personal/interpersonal intrinsic rewards through leisure experiences • Escaping personal/interpersonal environments through leisure experiences • Leisure motivation is a matter of both • Retirement > volunteer work > escape yet rewarding > must be a balance – pg 125

16. Optimum Arousal as Leisure Motivator • Ellis (1973) – Individuals seek to be in a state of uncertainty and stimulation – Achieved through novelty in activity • Arousal beneath or above an individual’s optimum level is unpleasant • Leisure service providers must offer the appropriate balance with older individuals – stimulating, novel, challenge yet familiar and predictable

17. People are motivated by the search for personal meaning in life • Programs designed to assist in the search help individuals find purpose in living • Meaning in life – highest to lowest • Values that relate to the ultimate purpose of life • Devotion of time and energy to reach potential • Altruism – service to others • Breadth and Depth are both important

18. Leisure Constraints • Poor health • Lack of opportunity • Decline in visual acuity • Lack of transportation • Reduced income • Fear of falling • Physical/Cognitive limitations in general • Money, time, facilities, companions, health

19. Leisure service providers can assist in identifying and removing barriers/constraints