A Cross-Cultural/National Study of Canadian,Chinese, and Japanese University Students' Leisure Satisfaction and Subjective Well-Being

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to examine whether Canadian, Chinese, and Japanese university students' leisure satisfaction affected their subjective well-being (SWB) and, if so, how this process was similar and different cross-culturally/nationally. A series of stepwise multiple regressions indicated that, in general, satisfying leisure significantly and positively impacted SWB across all three cultures, but there were also differences between (a) Canada and both China and Japan in terms of aesthetic leisure satisfaction and (b) China and Japan in terms of psychological and physiological leisure satisfaction. Overall, our results suggest that while satisfying leisure significantly, positively, and substantively impacts SWB in both Western and East Asian cultural contexts, culture frequently influences which specific elements are pertinent. This cross-cultural/national study has important theoretical and practical implications for the currently Western-centric leisure literature and for the understanding of the different roles leisure plays in enhancing SWB across cultures, respectively.     

Why People Play at Work: A Theoretical Examination of Leisure-at-Work

ABSTRACT

Postmodern perspectives on work and leisure acknowledge the interwoven nature of these domains, an example being the increasing number of organizations intentionally incorporating leisure into the employee experience. Existing research, however, provides no specific theoretical guidance regarding the potential impacts of strategically integrating recreation activities into the work domain. Thus, based on positive organizational scholarship and leisure science theories, we build an individual level model describing the phenomenon of leisure-at-work (LAW). We propose LAW activities have the ability to produce feelings of personal expressiveness at work as moderated by employees' perceptions of the activities. Personal expressiveness then mediates LAW activities' ability to promote the development of organizational commitment, work engagement, and resilience among employees.     

Issues Surrounding Asian Students Hospitality Management in Australia

ABSTRACT

Similar to many western nations, the education of international students by Australian universities has developed into a major industry. Since 1994, the number of international students studying for an Australian qualification has risen by 146% (IDP Education, 2001). The majority of these international students come from the traditional South East Asian countries of Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Indonesia mainly to study Business and Economics programs. Growth in international student demand is forecast to continue to rise with countries such as China demonstrating significant growth (IDP Education, 2001).

This paper attempts to present an analysis of the major issues surrounding the education of Asian students. While mention is made of the predictable problems that all international students face when studying in a foreign country, the focus of this paper concentrates on Asian students' learning approaches and styles and associated problems. This paper evaluates research conducted among all Asian students studying in Australia; however, the focus of this paper is those Asian students who are studying Hospitality and Tourism Management at undergraduate level.

The paper identifies both positive and negative images of Asian students and highlights several misperceptions regarding Asian students that are commonly held by western academics. Finally, the paper presents an overview of what strategies might be adopted by western academics in order to make Asian students' experiences at western universities more enjoyable and successful.     

Providing a More Successful Education Experience for Asian Hospitality Management Students Studying in Australia

ABSTRACT

Economic necessity and political influence has resulted in many western universities striving to increase the number of international students choosing their institution. The consequences of increased numbers of international students has implications for teaching staff and domestic students. This research is focused on international students from Asia studying the Bachelor of Business (Hospitality Management) at The University of Queensland and is set in the context of those students' learning experience. Focusing on issues of teaching and learning styles, the research is based on the suggestion that Asian students have to make a substantial adjustment in terms of their learning styles in order to succeed in a Western University.

The empirical research focuses on Asian students' motivation, choices and expectations of their learning experience in Australia and identifies difficulties those students have experienced. Insights of staff within the School of Tourism and Leisure Management at the University of Queensland are also discussed, particularly focusing on cultural issues.

This article concludes with several recommendations concerning strategies that could be, and are being adopted by The University, academic staff and Asian students.     

Modeling Change in Older Adults' Leisure Activities

Changes in three domains of leisure (i.e., informal, formal, and physical) were examined using data from individuals ages 50 and over from all three waves of the Americans' Changing Lives study (N = 1,911), and different patterns of change were found. Individual growth curve modeling suggested that while no change occurred over time on average within domains, significant individual differences were found in these patterns across all domains. Limitations in physical functioning and depressive symptoms predicted lower participation across domains, but other predictors including age, race, and gender made a difference. Older age only predicted decreases in the physical domain.     

Mainland Chinese Canadian Immigrants' Leisure Satisfaction and Subjective Well-Being: Results of a Two-Year Longitudinal Study

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to examine whether recent Chinese Canadian immigrants' (a) leisure satisfaction, happiness, and life satisfaction changed over a two-year period and (b) if leisure satisfaction affected their subjective well-being (SWB) over this same period. Participants completed an initial, trilingual telephone questionnaire (N = 220) and then were recontacted every six months for two years. Hierarchical linear modeling indicated that leisure satisfaction decreased over the two-year period, likely because of “leisure shock,” employment of a “withdrawn” strategy, or both. The results also showed that leisure satisfaction significantly and positively affected happiness and life satisfaction. Study limitations are identified, theoretical and practical implications are discussed, and future research recommendations are outlined.     

Asian and Western Cultural Differences

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to develop a theoretical structural equation model using LISREL to determine whether cultural differences between international Asian tourists and their Australian hosts are predictors of tourist satisfaction. The study examines the way in which cultural values, rules of social behavior and perceptions of service providers influence tourist preferences for social interaction and satisfaction with tourist-host contact.

The comparison of the cultural differences goes beyond merely helping to answer the question of whether there are cultural differences and to what extent these differences vary. The paper determines the dimensions of cultural differences between these two populations. A LISREL model is used to identify the strength of the relationships between the cultural dimensions and their key indicators. Further, the study identifies the nature of the causal relationships between the cultural dimensions. The results indicate that differences in cultural values and rules of social behavior between Asian tourists and Australian hosts directly influence tourist satisfaction, and differences in perceptions of service providers directly influence tourist social interaction. Perceptions of service providers only indirectly determine satisfaction, through the mediating effect of interaction. Implications of the study results for marketers and directions for future research are discussed.     

Self-Transformation in Go Games: An Autoethnographic Study of a Serious Leisure Pursuit

ABSTRACT

This article combines both analytical and evocative autoethnographic study of Go to illuminate Confucian self-transformation and to contribute to Robert Stebbins's conceptions of serious leisure. As an analytical autoethnographic study, this article interweaves the author's personal experiences of playing Go with theoretical discussions. The author argues that whereas Stebbins's analysis of durable benefits from serious leisure is individualist, Confucian self-transformation encourages a relationalist approach and that the latter approach could be a remedy for the shortcomings of the former one. As for the evocative part of this article, the author uses some devices of fictional writing to tell a lifelike story of an unforgettable Go game. This story invites readers to put themselves in the author's situations, to taste the sweet fruit of the author's serious leisure pursuit, and to reflect on their own leisure experiences.     

Entering the Minds of Serial Murderers: The Application of Forensic Leisure Science to Homicide Research

ABSTRACT

Years ago, a small handful of leisure scholars suggested that serial murder may be a form of leisure. However, to date this possibility remains virtually unexplored. This article draws from recent research to share reflections and rich, new insights on how leisure science may provide important contributions to serial homicide researchers and law enforcement personnel. At the same time, exploring such intersections offers leisure scholars new ways of understanding familiar concepts and theories. Possibilities for future research are discussed.     

The Influence of Psychological Needs in Mexican Older Adults' Leisure Motivations

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to understand if and how the three elements of the basic needs theory play a role in Mexican older adults' leisure motivations. A case study research strategy was chosen. Data were collected using individual interviews with 18 participants (6 men and 12 women). After the data were analyzed, three core themes emerged: the fulfillment of psychological needs is not always a precondition for leisure engagement, traditional ways of conceptualizing the need for relatedness and the need for competence need to be reconsidered, and gender inequality and gender roles affect women's need for autonomy in their leisure engagement.     

Lifestyle Segmentation in Tourism and Leisure

ABSTRACT

This article examines three different approaches to lifestyle segmentation in improving the quality of tourism and leisure marketing decisions in three separate cases. Tourism and leisure products are prototypical lifestyle purchase yet in many tourism research studies visitors are described by demographics or tourism behaviour only. These cases illustrate different approaches to lifestyle segmentation. Firstly, there are segmentation schemes based on external logic that can be broadly applied across a range of markets, including tourism and leisure. Alternatively, there are schemes that are based on a 'conversation' with the data and which rely on an internal logic within that data that may not transfer to other market contexts. Between these two lie schemes that apply external paradigms to specific datasets. The cases selected illustrate points along this spectrum.

The first case study examines the use by government tourism organizations of lifestyle segmentation 'bought in' from an external source. Here lifestyle segmentation data is collected from a representative sample of the Australian population as part of a commercial “single source” data set. The second case is based on a regional tourism study, which has utilized prior theory to develop its own lifestyle segmentation and at the same time related this to boarder characteristics of tourists in Tropical North Queensland. The third case examines the development of tailored lifestyle segmentation among 'event' spectators based on purely internal criteria unrelated to the broader population. These cases provide insight into the appropriate development and application of lifestyle segmentation and the use of the data by tourism and leisure managers. Managers may think about the type of lifestyle segmentation approach required based on how the segmentation scheme results need to be related to the wider market or population.     

Digital gaming culture in Vietnam: an exploratory study

ABSTRACT

New information and communication technologies continue to spread rapidly into the Asian marketplace, which has led to new patterns of leisure consumption, one of the most popular being digital gaming. However, in Vietnam there is limited research on gaming as a leisure activity. The purpose of this study is to explore the phenomenon of digital gaming in Vietnam to better understand how it is practiced in this culture. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty-five gaming industry figures and gamers. Thematic analysis was used to guide data collection and analysis. The findings indicate that glocalisation, socialised gaming practices and competitiveness characterise the Vietnamese gaming experience. The distinct culture of Vietnam combined with globalised gaming consumption habits has created new modes of play culture, and hence leisure experiences that are growing in pervasive and influential ways.     

Profiling Asian and Western family independent travelers (FITS): An exploratory study

This study explored perceptual and behavioral differences in service quality, satisfaction, and intention to revisit between Asian and Western family independent travelers (FITs) and to profile each group by its demographic and vacation characteristics as well as its family vacation decision‐making modes. Qualified FITs (n = 183) from seven major source markets were interviewed in the departure lounge at the Hong Kong International Airport. Results indicated that, compared to Asian FITs, Western respondents were more likely to favorably evaluate service quality, be first time visitors, and be younger. However, they were less likely to return to Hong Kong for leisure. Most Western travelers shared all decisions together between spouses, whereas their Asian counterparts were more likely to report individual dominant decisions, especially for those trip specific decisions. Marketing implications and future research directions are discussed.     

Street Corner Society: Leisure Careers,Youth (Sub)culture and Social Exclusion

Abstract

This paper draws upon qualitative research with ‘socially excluded’ young people in the North East of England. It proposes that the concept and study of ‘leisure careers’ is useful in understanding the transitions, (sub)cultural experiences and identities of social groups like this. The empirical focus is upon the significance of leisure careers in the neighbourhood‐based, social networks of some criminally involved, socially excluded young adults. Theoretically, we argue that a focus on leisure careers, as part of a broad, holistic approach to youth transitions, can help overcome some of the problems that currently affect youth studies. In particular, fuller examination of shifting, leisure‐based activities and identities within studies of youth transition may help bridge the analytical divide between that tradition of youth research and that which focuses primarily on youth culture and identity.     

A revised paradigm of leisure choices

A theory‐based model distinguishing three kinds of leisure from required nonwork activity has been examined through research on adult leisure in three communities. In the research sequence, the defining dimension of relative freedom and constraint is found central to the perceptions of respondents, but the work‐relation dimension does not significantly differentiate types of leisure. The model is revised to replace work‐relation with meaning to the participant that is either intrinsic to doing the activity or primarily social. Further, anticipated satisfactions in building and maintaining relationships are found more salient in leisure choices than in meeting role expectations. The revised typology is employed to classify activities from the New Town phase of the research as (1) unconditional, (2) recuperative, (3) relational, and (4) role‐determined.     

Gender,race, and subjective social class and their association with leisure preferences

Abstract

This study examines the leisure preferences of subgroups defined by gender, race, and subjective social class. The multiple hierarchy stratification perspective and the class polarization perspective provided the theoretical rationale for the study, and a secondary data set from a national probability telephone survey was used. The interviews obtained information regarding the leisure preferences of adults age 21 to 65. From 2,148 contacts, 1, 711 interviews were completed. The results provide partial support for the study's hypotheses. Poor‐working‐class Black women were distinct from White men and women and middle‐class Black men, but they were similar to the other Black groups. As hypothesized, the leisure preferences of middle‐class Black and White men were similar. However, contrary to the study's hypothesis, Black men of different classes did not exhibit greater dissimilarity when compared with Black women of different classes.     

Both Sides Now: Transgression and Oppression in African Americans' Historical Relationships with Nature

ABSTRACT

Wilderness has been constructed as White, in part through histories that marginalize African American attitudes and experiences. In response, we provide an overview of African Americans' relationships with nature during three historical periods: (a) Enslavement, (b) Reconstruction and Postreconstruction, and (c) 1936–1994. African Americans' relationships with nature were created through an ongoing dialectic of oppression and transgression throughout each historical period. Four types of transgression were identified: wilderness as a space free of White oppression, wilderness as a site to challenge White oppression, engagement with nature despite White oppression, and advocacy for more just relationships with wilderness. Transgression is discussed as a means to remember environmental history and envision new relationships between African Americans and wilderness in the present, bonds for which transgression may one day no longer be necessary.     

The Experiencing Self and the Remembering Self: Implications for Leisure Science

ABSTRACT

In this research reflection we question the way leisure experience is commonly understood and how leisure science is commonly conducted. Specifically, we focus on advances in multiple self-theory popularized by Daniel Kahneman in Thinking, Fast and Slow, an in-depth examination of human thought processes. After establishing Kahneman's foundational perspective, we apply his thinking to leisure experience and leisure science by reviewing recent scholarship focused on the “experiencing” and “remembering” selves (2000). We conclude the reflection by discussing the implications of Kahneman's thinking for the use of self-reports by leisure scientists, as well as call for greater congruence between the selves we seek to research and our selected research methods.     

Fate control and leisure attitudes

It has been suggested that attitudes toward leisure may be affected by one's perception of the ability to control life's consequences. Rotter's I‐E scale was used in the present study to measure the perceived locus of control and was correlated with the scales of Neulingers Leisure Attitude Inventory. Results indicated that positive attitudes toward leisure were generally more associated with an external than an internal locus of control, i.e., with the perception that one's fate is to a large degree personally uncontrollable. These results are explained in terms of the confounding influence of work/achievement orientation in the measurement of and in the relationship of those variables. Implications for leisure counseling, leisure education, and therapeutic recreation are also discussed.     

Leisure styles: A hidden core

Abstract

Factor analysis has been employed in a number of North American and European studies to categorize leisure activities according to participation patterns. The resulting factors have been the basis of proposed labels for leisure styles. Since the results of the factor analyses have been found to vary with the relative heterogeneity of samples and activities studied, comparison of previous findings with a more varied sample and activity list is indicated. With an NORC national sample and participation measured in a diverse list of leisure activities, factor analysis was completed and stepwise multiple regression used to measure the relationship of the resulting factors to age, sex, and social position indices. The factors do not support a neat or clearly differentiated set of activity groupings. Further, a set of activities with high participation rates did not appear in any factors or vary systematically by age, sex, or social position. Support is given to a model that suggests that adult leisure chores begin with a common core of accessible and informal activities.