Leisure and Recreation

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that, whereas the Japanese have incorporated the importance of recreation and leisure into their national culture and identity, some Americans feel guilty about recreation and leisure activities because of a residual effect of the Puritan work ethic, which equates having fun with laziness. The author points out, by examining research studies, that recreation and leisure are important to every culture because they contribute positively to the individual, the community and the environment. The paper stresses that American society needs to change its definition of recreation and leisure from being activities that are "squeezed in" during moments of free time to being activities that are made a priority because of their numerous benefits.

Table of Contents:
Individual Benefits
Community Building
Environmental Benefits
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Research by Iwaski, et. al. demonstrated that male and female managers in stressful positions who choose to make leisure a priority find that it becomes an invaluable coping tool. While there do appear to be gender differences in the types of activities selected, both men and women expressed that their recreation and leisure activities were critical to their physical and professional survival. And, although children have not yet entered the competitive corporate world, a similar study by Caldwell et.al. found that middle school students who regularly participated in positive recreation and leisure activities found that they became more efficient and better focused, more aware of their community, and perhaps less likely to participate in substance use and abuse."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Caldwell, Linda K.; Baldwin, Cheryl K.; and Walls, Theodore (2004). Preliminary Effects of a Leisure Education Program to Promote Healthy Use of Free Time among Middle School Adolescent. Journal or Leisure Research, Vol. 36, No. 3.
• Driver, Bev (No date). The Benefits of Leisure. Retrieved Sept. 15, 2006 from http://www.academyofleisuresciences.org/alswp7.html.
• Get the Facts about Lacrosse (2005). Retrieved Sept. 15, 2006 from http://www.lacrosse.org/the_sport/index.phtml.
• Iwasaki, Yoshi; Mackay, Kelly; and Mactavish, Jennifer (2005). Gender-Based Analyses of Coping with Stress among Professional Managers: Leisure Coping and Non-Leisure Coping. Journal or Leisure Research, Vol. 37, No. 1.
• Parry, Diana C. (2005). Women's Leisure as Resistance to Pronatalist Ideology. Journal or Leisure Research, Vol. 37, No. 2.

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