Although lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) adults may face stigmatization in sport settings that undermines this otherwise identity enhancing form of leisure, LGBT-focused sport groups provide ...a supportive setting for sport participation. We examine facets of ego involvement (e.g., identity affirmation, social bonding) as predictors of sport group behaviors (e.g., practice participation, volunteering) with 228 LGBT-focused sport group participants. Over time, the more identity affirmation needs were met, the more people took part in sport-related social activities. Further, the more participants' identity expression needs were met, the more they attended practice. Enhanced social bonding from sport club participation predicted increased social event attendance. Finally, identity affirmation predicted greater social event attendance for men and those with higher levels of internalized homophobia. LGBT-focused sport participation helps meet important psychological needs, leading to enhanced sport organization-supportive behaviors. The contributions of this study to leisure and ego involvement research are discussed.
A study addressed the ill-understood issue of how loyalty develops in service patrons. Although many theorists hold commitment to be an essential part of this process, the link between commitment and ...loyalty has received little empirical attention. To address this void, the study first portrayed commitment's root tendency to resist changing preference as a function of 3 antecedent processes. Second, this portrayal formed the basis for developing a psychometrically sound scale to measure the construct of commitment. Third, the scale was then used in a mediating effects model (M-E-M) to test the commitment-loyalty link. Path analyses found this parsimonious structure to be a significant improvement over rival direct effects models (D-E-Ms). Results found the tendency to resist changing preference to be a key precursor to loyalty, largely explained by a patron's willingness to identify with a brand. Implications of these findings for loyalty's development and research are explored.
The purpose of this study was to identify cognitive and affective mechanisms by which the experience of live sport spectating might inspire new sport participation. A conceptual model of ...demonstration effects that explored relationships among cognitive dimensions of spectators' consumptive experiences (i.e., fantasy, flow, evaluation, aesthetics and physical attractiveness), an affective state of inspiration, and intention to try a sport on display was tested. Data were collected from spectators attending 2015 Pan Am Games track cycling competitions through a written questionnaire. Cognitive dimensions were all positively related to feelings of being inspired while watching the event. Feelings of being inspired while watching the event, in turn, had a positive effect on intention to try the sport of track cycling. An affective state of inspiration also mediated relationships between each cognitive dimension of sport event performance consumption and intention. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
Despite the recent proliferation of leisure involvement and loyalty research, very little attention has been given to systematically conceptualize and examine the nature of leisure involvement's ...relationship with loyalty. The purpose of the present study was to examine whether psychological commitment intervenes in the relationship between fitness participants' leisure involvement and their behavioral loyalty to a recreation agency. Concomitant consideration was also given to the moderating effects of selected personal and social factors on this relationship (Iwasaki & Havitz, 1998). Comparisons of a Fully Mediated Model (F-M-M) with rival Direct Effects Models (D-E-M I & II), using structural equation modeling (SEM), suggested that psychological commitment mediated the effects of enduring involvement on patrons' behavioral loyalty (p <.01). That is, enduring involvement appeared to indirectly influence behavioral loyalty via a sequence of commitment factors. Significant evidence was also found for the direct effects of skill, motivation, social support, and social norms on enduring involvement, while some support was found for moderating effects (i.e., skill, motivation, social support, and side bets significantly moderated the effects of enduring involvement on commitment's formative factors). Overall, the findings of the study help uncover some of the key mechanisms/processes by which customers become loyal to a recreation agency. Marketing strategies may be developed to aim at strengthening customer loyalty by maximizing key antecedents of behavioral loyalty (i.e., enduring involvement and psychological commitment), as well as personal and social factors (e.g., skill, motivation, social support, social norms, and side bets/sunk costs).
This study aimed to explore the influence of family holiday travel on the subjective well-being (SWB) of Chinese adolescents. Surveys were distributed at two public middle schools in the urban area ...of a large city located in the eastern part of Mainland China. Participants were middle school students aged between 12 and 15 years (grades 7-9). By using Labor Day in China as an experimental context, this study applied a longitudinal research design. Findings suggest that family holiday travel influences the global life satisfaction; contentment with school, self and leisure life; positive and negative affects of adolescents. In particular, there is a short-term lift-up effect of family holiday travel on the SWB of adolescent travelers. However, the results suggest that the benefits of family holiday travel in terms of SWB diminish when adolescent students return to school. Moreover, students who travel with their families during holidays have significantly higher post-holiday SWB than their non-traveling counterparts. The current study advances our knowledge on the influence of family travel on the SWB of adolescents. Recommendations for parents, schools, and the government were put forward.
This study examined how the number and total size of neighborhood parks within 1 kilometer (km) of participants' homes, as well as distance to the closest park, were associated with ...moderate-to-strenuous physical activity (MSPA) in three contexts: total, neighborhood-based, and park-based. Data were collected from 384 adults in a Canadian city. Each additional hectare of park area within 1 km increased the odds of participating in 150 or more minutes of total MSPA by 2% and each additional park increased the odds of participating in 150 or more minutes of neighborhood-based MSPA by 17% (p < .05). Living near more parks and parkland showed more positive relationships with activity among women than men, and among younger (18 to 34 years) and older (55+ years) adults.
Research objectives were both applied and conceptual. Actionable segments of physical activity participants were developed using leisure involvement profiles. Also explored were links between leisure ...involvement, a construct primarily developed and applied in leisure literature, and psychological variables found to influence participation in physical activity literature. A community-based sample of 384 adults completed measures of five involvement facets and psychological, demographic, and behavioral variables. Cluster analysis revealed four groups: Extremely Involved, Quite Involved, Moderately Involved, and Marginally Involved. Scores for physical activity behavior, self-efficacy, motivations, and body mass index were most positive for the Extremely Involved, with a linear decline across the three remaining segments (p < .05). Few demographic between-group differences were found. The data suggest that leisure involvement provides an effective means of segmenting physically active leisure participants for purposes of research and health promotion, and that self-efficacy and motivation for physical activity were predictably linked to involvement.
An increased focus on alternate theoretical perspectives, methodologies, and methods is needed in leisure studies. Although retrospective methods have been employed in a range of disciplines, ...criticism has been leveled at their validity, reliability, and trustworthiness. Possibilities and critiques of retrospective methods are discussed as either attempts at controlling or interpreting the past. Techniques for minimizing post-positivist concerns include stimulating memories using cues such as photos, allowing participants to report freely rather than forcing responses, and studying salient phenomenon that are subject to accurate recall. Interpretive methods such as narrative inquiry, autoethnography, and collective memory-work are also discussed and debated.
This research was conducted to examine the nuances of special interest wine markets in terms of day-to-day consumption and travel-related patterns. A demographically diverse set of respondents (n = ...161) were recruited from wine clubs and wine events at a western Canadian city. Based on previous involvement research a reliable and valid fifteen-item, three-faceted Wine Involvement Scale (WIS) was developed. Respondents were placed into one of four market segments based on their responses to the WIS. Although between market demographic differences were minimal, consumptive behaviours related to wine and wine tourism were consistent and profound (p < .05). Discussion focuses on marketing implications for special interest wine tourists and on conceptual challenges related to high-end market research.
