PART 1
The concept spare time
Objective approach to spare time
Spare time = all time – work – school – care responsibilities – personal time
This definition is the residual definition of spare time. It is more based on quantity. Objective spare
time is called ‘spare time’.
Subjective approach to spare time
Subjective approach refers to an individual’s personal view. According to the subjective approach,
spare time is only spare time if the person experiences it as such. It is more based on quality.
Subjective spare time is called ‘leisure’.
Time, behaviour and experience
approach name subject characteristic Relevant if you…
Objective Temporal Time How much spare time …wish to compare numbers
available? or amounts of
countries/groups/years.
Behavioural Behaviour How does one use their …want to know how people
spare time? What does behave and how you can
leisure behaviour look explain and influence that.
like?
subjective Mental experience How does one experience …want to understand and
spare time? map people’s motives,
feelings and experiences.
A short history of leisure
The relation between labor and leisure
Work
Spare time
,PART 2
Leisure behaviour: culture and the individual
Social structure
A social structure is a network of people that are connected to each other. Everyone is part of a
number of social structures.
Social culture
Culture is all values, norms, views, institutions and traditions that characterize a group of people.
A culture exists out of material elements, such as technique, utensils with a social benefit or goal,
architecture and literature brought forth by humans, and immaterial elements, such as expressions,
customs, beliefs institutions and norms and values. Most times when talking about cultures, we’re
talking about the immaterial elements of a culture.
When defining culture, there a differences made between high and low culture. High culture includes
all elite culture that are only accessible to the upper classes. Low culture is often described as
popular culture. The border between those two are not objective.
The social structure and social culture we live in influences our leisure behaviour. They determine
how many days off we have, what we feel is important, what we can and may do and whom we
associate with.
Subcultures
Not all Dutch people have the same values, norms, customs and views, even though they all belong
to the Dutch culture. The fact that not everyone adheres to culture mores is called deviant
behaviour. What is normal for a certain subgroup, can be called deviant behaviour for other
subcultures. A sub-culture is a group of people with the same values, norms, views and customs.
Sub-cultures can be divided by demographic, geographic, psychographic and behavioural
characteristics. Demographic characteristics is about a person’s generation, geographic
characteristics are where someone lives. Psychographic and behavioural characteristics are about the
way someone thinks and acts.
Primary socialization is the first stage of life, when we behave by the culture of our parents. Children
are influenced by the culture of their parents and teachers. The secondary socialization is when a
teenager is more influenced by their peers. When those two cultures are very different from each
other, it is called a contra-culture.
Someone’s surroundings unconsciously create a frame of reference. This is all knowledge,
explanations and judgement with regard to the social surrounding. Humans are herd animals more
than they would like to admit.
The individual and their identity
We are mainly formed by our surroundings on macro and meso level. The third level that determines
our behaviour is the individual level.
An individual’s lifestyle is largely determined by the social role within the social structure. The role
within a group of colleagues can be much different to the role within your family.
, This image describes eight different lifestyles. The division is based on economic status and social
values. Economic status stands for the position within the social structure. Social values stand for the
cultural aspect. What social environment you are in, is based on personal views and values.
Another factor in leisure behaviour is physical ability. You might have a disability which restricts you
from undertaking an activity. Another factor is intelligence level.
Someone’s personality is an unique combination of a multitude of characteristics. Some of these
exist from birth, and some are learned through social processes. The most common way of defining
personality is the ‘Big Five’.
These personality characteristics bring us a step closer to the clarification of leisure behaviour.
However, not all leisure behaviour can be explained through personality characteristics. There is
much more going on. We need to take a look at human needs as well. Not all needs can be explained
because specific needs can’t be structured. Maslow described a Hierarchy of Needs.
Physical needs are basic needs for humans. This includes nourishment and sleep, sometimes sexual
contact. Only after the physical needs have been satisfied, he will focus on the next level: safety and
security. A safe sleep environment is needed to survive. The search for social contact will not begin
until an individual feels secure. The next level is appreciation and recognition. The need for self-
actualization is the highest attainable level.
The concept spare time
Objective approach to spare time
Spare time = all time – work – school – care responsibilities – personal time
This definition is the residual definition of spare time. It is more based on quantity. Objective spare
time is called ‘spare time’.
Subjective approach to spare time
Subjective approach refers to an individual’s personal view. According to the subjective approach,
spare time is only spare time if the person experiences it as such. It is more based on quality.
Subjective spare time is called ‘leisure’.
Time, behaviour and experience
approach name subject characteristic Relevant if you…
Objective Temporal Time How much spare time …wish to compare numbers
available? or amounts of
countries/groups/years.
Behavioural Behaviour How does one use their …want to know how people
spare time? What does behave and how you can
leisure behaviour look explain and influence that.
like?
subjective Mental experience How does one experience …want to understand and
spare time? map people’s motives,
feelings and experiences.
A short history of leisure
The relation between labor and leisure
Work
Spare time
,PART 2
Leisure behaviour: culture and the individual
Social structure
A social structure is a network of people that are connected to each other. Everyone is part of a
number of social structures.
Social culture
Culture is all values, norms, views, institutions and traditions that characterize a group of people.
A culture exists out of material elements, such as technique, utensils with a social benefit or goal,
architecture and literature brought forth by humans, and immaterial elements, such as expressions,
customs, beliefs institutions and norms and values. Most times when talking about cultures, we’re
talking about the immaterial elements of a culture.
When defining culture, there a differences made between high and low culture. High culture includes
all elite culture that are only accessible to the upper classes. Low culture is often described as
popular culture. The border between those two are not objective.
The social structure and social culture we live in influences our leisure behaviour. They determine
how many days off we have, what we feel is important, what we can and may do and whom we
associate with.
Subcultures
Not all Dutch people have the same values, norms, customs and views, even though they all belong
to the Dutch culture. The fact that not everyone adheres to culture mores is called deviant
behaviour. What is normal for a certain subgroup, can be called deviant behaviour for other
subcultures. A sub-culture is a group of people with the same values, norms, views and customs.
Sub-cultures can be divided by demographic, geographic, psychographic and behavioural
characteristics. Demographic characteristics is about a person’s generation, geographic
characteristics are where someone lives. Psychographic and behavioural characteristics are about the
way someone thinks and acts.
Primary socialization is the first stage of life, when we behave by the culture of our parents. Children
are influenced by the culture of their parents and teachers. The secondary socialization is when a
teenager is more influenced by their peers. When those two cultures are very different from each
other, it is called a contra-culture.
Someone’s surroundings unconsciously create a frame of reference. This is all knowledge,
explanations and judgement with regard to the social surrounding. Humans are herd animals more
than they would like to admit.
The individual and their identity
We are mainly formed by our surroundings on macro and meso level. The third level that determines
our behaviour is the individual level.
An individual’s lifestyle is largely determined by the social role within the social structure. The role
within a group of colleagues can be much different to the role within your family.
, This image describes eight different lifestyles. The division is based on economic status and social
values. Economic status stands for the position within the social structure. Social values stand for the
cultural aspect. What social environment you are in, is based on personal views and values.
Another factor in leisure behaviour is physical ability. You might have a disability which restricts you
from undertaking an activity. Another factor is intelligence level.
Someone’s personality is an unique combination of a multitude of characteristics. Some of these
exist from birth, and some are learned through social processes. The most common way of defining
personality is the ‘Big Five’.
These personality characteristics bring us a step closer to the clarification of leisure behaviour.
However, not all leisure behaviour can be explained through personality characteristics. There is
much more going on. We need to take a look at human needs as well. Not all needs can be explained
because specific needs can’t be structured. Maslow described a Hierarchy of Needs.
Physical needs are basic needs for humans. This includes nourishment and sleep, sometimes sexual
contact. Only after the physical needs have been satisfied, he will focus on the next level: safety and
security. A safe sleep environment is needed to survive. The search for social contact will not begin
until an individual feels secure. The next level is appreciation and recognition. The need for self-
actualization is the highest attainable level.
