Chapter 2: How Individuals Experience Leisure

Question 1

what is a critical variable in determining the quality of experience

Answer 1

engagement

Question 2

why is it important to not make the mistake of equating experience with entertainment

Answer 2

we stage leisure experiences to engage participants not to entertain them

Question 3

to design and stage program services that deliver engaging leisure experiences, the programmer must

Answer 3

understand how leisure is experienced

Question 4

how does one understand how leisure is experienced

Answer 4

requires an understanding of symbolic interactionism

Question 5

symbolic interactionism

Answer 5

the social science that provides the theoretical base for programming

Question 6

what must one understand about symbolic interactionism

Answer 6

how interaction in social occasions provide opportunities for co-production by participants, and the implications of these for program design and staging

Question 7

first premise of symbolic interaction theory

Answer 7

social reality is produced by individuals’ own understanding or interpretation of a situation
- we define our own reality

Question 8

second premise of symbolic interaction theory

Answer 8

individuals can guide and shape their own behavior and that of others

Question 9

third premise of symbolic interaction theory

Answer 9

while taking our own standpoint and fitting it to the behaviour of others, we interact with one another
interaction is symbolic because it involves the manipulation of symbols, words, meanings and languages

Question 10

examples of things human beings can act towards based on the meanings that the things have for them

Answer 10

physical objects like trees or chairs, other human beings, such as friends or enemies; institution like school or government; guiding ideals like honesty; and activities of others like requests or commands

Question 11

where is the meaning of things derived from, or arise out of

Answer 11

the social interaction that one has with one’s fellows

Question 12

how are the meanings of things handled, or modified through

Answer 12

an interpretive process used by the person in dealing with the things he or she encounters

Question 13

what does the symbolic interactionist perspective suggest

Answer 13

that leisure is a unique meaning attributed to specific social occasions that are created by the individuals involved through interaction with objects in the occasions

Question 14

5 key points that help develop a full understanding of the implications of the theory on programming include

Answer 14

1. phases of leisure experience
2. nature of the objects acted on during interaction
3. how meaning is derived through interaction
4. how interaction is produced
5. the ability to experience leisure

Question 15

leisure is experienced in what 3 phases

Answer 15

1. anticipation
2. participation
3. reflection

Question 16

what do most programmers tend to focus on

Answer 16

participation phase
leisure experiences are best experienced in all 3

Question 17

anticipation

Answer 17

building excitement prior to the onset of program
can do so through advertising, save the dates, registration procedures, etc.

Question 18

participation

Answer 18

engaging in a leisure activity

Question 19

reflection

Answer 19

post program interventions
post game debriefing, publishing pictures, staging reunions, and selling souvenirs

Question 20

leisure objects

Answer 20

receive our focused attention and are consciously dealt with during interaction

Question 21

people act toward leisure objects on the basis

Answer 21

of the meanings that the objects have for them and their meaning derived through interaction

Question 22

three categories of leisure obejcts

Answer 22

physical
social
symbolic

Question 23

physical examples

Answer 23

balls, bats, bikes, craft supplies

Question 24

social examples

Answer 24

leaders, friends, mothers, fans and teammates

Question 25

symbolic examples

Answer 25

ideas, philosophies, and doctrines that influence behaviour

Question 26

what do programmers need to learn about leisure objects

Answer 26

which objects make essential contributions to the leisure experience intended

Question 27

how is interaction produced

Answer 27

we all create the experience together based on how we interpret each other’s behaviour
we can all adjust our behaviour based on what we interpret and how we want to be seen

Question 28

what is important about how interaction is produced

Answer 28

important that all individuals must actively engage in this joint construction of the occasion in order to feel competent and fell intrinsic satisfaction with participation

Question 29

how is meaning derived

Answer 29

produced socially through interaction with physical, social and symbolic objects
meaning is situation specific and meaning of object can change from occasion to occasion

Question 30

example of meaning changing

Answer 30

line up for sporting event is different experience than line up for buying groceries

Question 31

what must programmer ensure about the meaning of objects in different situations

Answer 31

the occurence of key, meaning-deriving interactions that will result in participants construing that they had a leisure experience

Question 32

the recreational programmer must create a space for leisure to occur by

Answer 32

• designing an encounter
• providing social order (form and structure)
• ensuring participants engage in opportunities of co-creation that result in memories of perceived freedom and intrinsic satisfaction

Question 33

programmers must focus on

Answer 33

how they design and stage program and how participants experience programs

Question 34

what is a crucial programming concept

Answer 34

understanding how to intervene in a manner that facilitates leisure

Question 35

what does understanding how to intervene in manner that facilitates leisure include

Answer 35

understanding how interaction occurs, how meaning is produced through interaction, and what meanings must result for an occasion to be construed as leisure