Leisure and Society - Essay Example

Student’s Name] [Instructor’s Name] [Class] Leisure and Society Sociology of Leisure has been derived from the sociology of work since the idea of leisure emerged when factory workers were required to work long shifts and were only given Sunday off in the Industrial Revolution. The amount of research work done on leisure constraints has increased over the years, and it has become a sub-category of leisure studies. Aspects of activity participation are used as the dependent variables to be explained in most of the research done on leisure constraints (Jenkins, 2004). Leisure constraints were thought of as methods enhancing our understanding of hurdles in activity participation. Many scholars have supported this thought by stating that the constraints, as such, may be best described as a subgroup of reasons for not engaging in a specific behaviour. However, many discussions propose that leisure constraints may enhance our understanding of factors that influence people’s everyday leisure behaviours and leisure preferences. Changing trends in leisure preferences and variations in leisure choices and experiences of different parts society and different parts of population have been explained using leisure constraints (Jenkins, 2004). Many theorists believe that this extensive research provides a vast array of complex models which try to explain the relationship of constraints and the decision making process for any individual’s approach to leisure. Furthermore, many theorists deem that this extensive research will enhance our understanding of how people’s leisure preferences are shaped by different situations. Research on leisure constraints, which explores beyond the original purpose contributes significantly to the broader vision of leisure behaviour (Crouch et al, 2004). An individual, whether male or female, is first exposed to leisure activities through his/her family and this affects the individual’s interests, attitude, behaviour and skills. Family is the major context of leisure. On inquiring about the most important leisure activities and leisure companions, people, regardless of their age or ethnicity, replied that the most valuable activities were those pursued with their families. The recreational interests that individuals develop during childhood last a life time. Families greatly influence leisure opportunities either by facilitating them or by constraining them. Parents from a rural background or with different recreational preferences may constrain their children (Crouch et al, 2004). On the other hand, parents facilitate children’s recreation through their own recreational habits and leisure activities, by providing money for toys, equipment, lessons and by providing transportation. Research shows that in countries such as Canada and the United States of America, mothers play an important role in their children’s ability to participate in extracurricular and leisure activities because even working mothers take out time to pick and drop children from recitals, events, games, entertainment venues and other activities. In fact, they are known as home makers in America. Research in Canada shows that adolescents oppose and negotiate leisure constraints imposed by parents in order to participate in valued leisure activities (Haywood et al, 1999). Parents and families see leisure and recreation as a way to pass on cultural values and traditions to children. However, the social class they belong to and the area or part of the world they live in often alters some customs and traditions. Researches in the United States of America show that inhabitants of the Pacific region (California, Nevada, Arizona, Hawaii, etc) were more physically active than the inhabitants of the Central region (Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Missouri, etc). The impact of immigration on cultural values regarding work, social interactions, recreational activities and time sense of South American (Mexican or Hispanic) immigrants to the United States of America has been studied by Susan Juniu and these theories been applied in the studies of Jackson and Henderson (Haywood et al, 1999). Even though the immigrants follow certain traditions, variations can be seen in their way of living as they adapt to the new environment. The gender of the child is a discriminatory factor by which parents decide which recreational activities are appropriate for their children. For example, daughters are highly dependent on their parent’s permission for participation in recreational activities. Other concerns that parents have with their daughters’ recreational activities include personal safety and outdoor pests. However, sometimes sons wish to pursue some recreational activity such as ballet or painting which is unacceptable to their parents. Many scholars on leisure and its constraints have pointed out that children belonging to working-class families are more dependent on their parents for leisure activities than children belonging to middle-class families (Haywood et al, 1999). A family’s race and ethnicity are important factors in shaping their leisure preferences. Some conservative families would not approve dancing and singing as an appropriate leisure activity for their children whereas other families might support their children in this regard. Racial majority parents in the Netherlands and the United States of America are not as concerned with children’s leisure activities related to racism as racial minority parents are. Racial minorities might be concerned with personal safety as well. Two subcategories of leisure studies, problems of leisure constraints among ethnic/racial minorities and issues of leisure among ethnic/racial minorities have been integrated by studying the fixed characteristics and active nature of leisure constraints faced by recent immigrants from Poland (Haywood et al, 1999). Information about leisure behaviour and adjustment-related characteristics was obtained from a many research approaches to study Solidarity wave immigrants residing in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Factor analysis was used to isolate aspects of leisure constraint experienced to the immigrants and people were categorized according to a modification of assimilation typology, that is, they were categorized according to their primary structural adjustment, economic adjustment, behavioural-receptional adjustment and level of acculturation. Relationships were established between assimilation levels and supposed importance of each type of leisure constraint by regression analysis. One cannot claim to have created a complete picture of leisure constraints without considering both minorities and majorities. The results of the research show that the immigrants faced leisure constraints- which were not commonly faced by the other inhabitants (Torkildsen, 2005). College students face leisure constraints such as ‘lack of access’, ‘lack of facilities’, ‘lack of company’ and ‘lack of time’. Lack of access may be due to living in a very big city and having transportation issues. Lack of facilities may be due to the students’ preferences differing from the activities offered at College or University. Some students might want to pursue some activities which are not available on campus and off campus since the student lives in a rural area. Lack of company is due to students’ different leisure preferences. Furthermore, technological advancements have influenced people’s leisure preferences and most students prefer playing video games rather than indulging in physical activity (Torkildsen, 2005). Another leisure constraint that some students might face is physical fitness to participate in athletics. Statistically significant differences were observed regarding the relationship between students’ nutrition habits and leisure constraints. It was found that students who pay attention to their health by maintaining a balanced diet face less leisure constraints than students who do not pay attention to their health (Torkildsen, 2005). It can be deduced that students who take care of their health also take care of their physical fitness, that is, participate in athletic leisure activities, hence they face less leisure constraints. Finally, lack of time is a leisure constraint faced by college/university students who have part-time jobs along with their studies. Students have to manage lectures, assignments, and laboratory periods along with work; consequently, they are so tired at the end of the day that they are unable to participate in any form of extra-curricular activity (Torkildsen, 2005). Demographic factors such as age, marital status and education play important roles in leisure constraints. Adults can be classified by their roles such as parent, caregiver, spouse, worker, etc. while children only have to worry about their studies, adults have additional responsibilities to worry about. The definition of leisure for adults, their companions, economic resources, etc are all determined by the role s/he plays. Married people have reported greatest leisure and time constraints due to their family responsibilities (Jenkins, 1999). A woman’s leisure is greatly affected by marriage and having children. Even in households where both the husband and wife earn, the wife has less access to money for leisure than the husband. Furthermore, a woman’s role in society limits her freedom of choice and appropriate leisure opportunities. A man’s leisure is given precedence by both men and women because traditionally, the man is supposed to be the provider of bread and the woman is supposed to take care of household matters. A woman often feels as if she cannot spend on herself since she is given a specified sum for housekeeping and the husband has personal spending money (Jenkins, 1999). However, in some cases, working women keep some of their pay to themselves which makes them feel independent and in control of their leisure preferences. Although some sociologists deem that employment has a positive affect on married women’s leisure, others argue that this causes even more lack of time which is a major leisure constraint because she has to work as well as take care of household matters and children. As mentioned above, a man’s leisure is given precedence because he works hard to provide for his family. When a woman earns, this is a visible form of labour as opposed to domestic labour which women have to do everyday so they deserve leisure (Jenkins, 1999). Although very little research has been done regarding the relationship between couples’ leisure time and parenting, married couples find it very difficult to find time alone after becoming parents since their children take most of their time. Couple time is necessary for enhancing their relationship as a couple and for enhancing their roles as parents. An unhappy married life can result in neglecting their parental responsibilities. The most time-stressed people of contemporary North America are couples who work and have children and these couples hardly get to spend some quality time together. Their children’s needs are of highest priority (Jenkins, 2004). A married woman often gives up her personal leisure preferences to accommodate her spouse’s leisure interests and formal and informal engagements. The presence of dependent children further affects the leisure of mothers more than that of fathers. Women give up their personal leisure to accommodate the needs of their children and husband. On family holidays such as Christmas in Canada, it was found that it is the mothers who organize these family activities and hence are the providers of leisure (Jenkins, 2004). Fathers are usually not interested in organizing family outings, holidays and vacations. The mother works hard to make all the arrangements and hence it is only half a holiday for her but it is pure leisure for the father who just enjoys the holiday. Women have a different opinion about leisure than men do. Women’s nurturing nature enables them to see family leisure in a different light and their happiness and relaxation lies within their family’s happiness (Jenkins, 2004). Although in the 1970s, research in the Netherlands showed that the roles of men and women in families were becoming increasingly counterbalanced but recent research shows that this is just a theory. The bottom line is that regardless of whether or not a mother is employed or has children, a woman makes more sacrifices in terms of leisure than a man (Haywood et al, 1999). Research in Canada, Bangladesh, and the United States of America suggests that leisure constraints are not just due to gender are also dependent on various other factors such as race, social class, sexual orientation, social expectations and physical fitness. However, research in Canada, Great Britain and the United States of America shows that the impact of family on leisure changes throughout an individual’s life, in fact it can be thought of as a cyclic process. For example, as a child, an individual is dependent on his/her parents to provide financial assistance, transportation, etc for leisure activities but as a child grows up, s/he becomes independent of his/her parents (Haywood et al, 1999). Also, a child’s leisure demands change as s/he grows up. As a parent, the same child becomes responsible for providing leisure facilities to his/her family. It has also been noticed that cultures change over time due to economic, social and political changes. At the end of the twentieth century, Korean family structures changed which allowed more leisure activities to take place within the family instead of between different families and generations. Many literary journals on the topic have observed a change in concepts regarding family vacations in France (Haywood et al, 1999). Educated people have been observed to have lower leisure constraint issues than uneducated people. Relative geographical location is another leisure constraint since individuals residing in temperate climates cannot indulge in sports such as skiing and snowboarding without leaving their hometown or place of residence (Torkildsen, 2005). Family is an important factor in shaping an individual’s personality and leisure preferences. Some people have to struggle more than others in order to satisfy individual needs. The family’s influence on leisure differs in different societies, cultures, and races as do the responsibilities of the individuals of that family. Creating awareness about health and physical fitness might reduce leisure constraints due to ill-health (Torkildsen, 2005). Works Cited: Jenkins, J. 1999. Outdoor Recreation Management. Routledge. Haywood, L. et al. 1999. Understanding Leisure. Trans-Atlantic Publications. Torkildsen, G. 2005. Leisure and Recreation Management. Routledge. Crouch, G. I. et al. 2004. Consumer Psychology of Tourism, Hospitality and Leisure. CABI. Jenkins, J. 2004. Encyclopedia of Leisure and Outdoor Recreation. Routledge Read More