This study was conducted in order to determine the effects of educational budget cuts on student programming in universities and colleges. It was stated that the universities monies allocated specifically for student programming had decreased, the number of full-time university employees had decreased, the number of national performers brought to campus had decreased, and student participation had decreased A questionnaire was designed to send to those institutions that were NECAA, Great Lakes Region, members. A 62 percent return was received, the questionnaires were tabulated and data accumulated. The data indicated that most universities had received sufficient funds for student programming from their institutions. However, from 1979-1982, those respondents that felt they had sufficient funds decreased. The number of full-time, as well as part-time, employees in the area of student activities had decreased slightly. The number of national performers brought to campus decreased, while the number of local performers increased. It was also found that the cost of a national performance had decreased. The data indicated that student participation within student activities had increased. Recommendations were made based upon the findings and conclusions. It was suggested that the questionnaire be revised in order to obtain more useful information. It was also recommended that similar studies be repeated within this and other NECAA regions so as to provide continuous and current data in the field. It was further suggested that Western Kentucky University be made aware of the results of this study and participate actively in further endeavors.

The primary goal of this dissertation was to gain a better understanding of individuals’ membership benefits preferences and attitudes toward donation programs in the context of urban zoo settings. The first objective of this dissertation was to provide a background on membership and donation related research in the context of zoos and other relevant organizations. Based on the review of literature, the second objective was to empirically examine, through two independent studies, zoo membership benefit preferences and attitudes toward a donation program. <div><br></div><div>Despite a wealth of knowledge in the literature with respect to zoo visitors, animals, exhibits, and related programs, little research has been conducted on individuals’ preferences for zoo membership benefit packages and attitudes toward donation programs. To fill the gaps in these areas, the first empirical study examined factors that influence current and prospective members’ decision-making when choosing a membership package at an urban zoo. More specifically, the study explored preferences for selected membership program benefits and benefit levels, as well as how these preferences varied among visitors grouped by key segmentation variables. The study findings suggested that price of membership package was the most important factor, followed by the discount on food and beverage and the proportion of membership fees devoted to animal conservation. As expected, the visitors who scored high on place attachment to the zoo were more supportive of the zoo and less sensitive to variations in the specific options included in the zoo’s membership package. <br></div><div><br></div><div>In the second study, attitudes toward a donation program at an urban zoo were examined. In particular, this study investigated subgroups’ differences segmented by their membership status, place attachment levels, and attitudinal positions. A two-dimensional/bivariate attitude approach was employed to explore potential differences among attitudinal position groups. The study findings indicated while most respondents held positive attitudes toward the donation program, zoo members and nonmembers did not differ significantly. The likelihood of joining the donation program was significantly higher for those in the positive dominant attitude group compared to those in the negative dominant and equally ambivalent groups. Additionally, a qualitative analysis revealed that many respondents were concerned about the cost or affordability of the donation program; and perceived the benefits of the program as a poor value.<br></div><div><br></div><div>Collectively, the two empirical studies provide useful insight for managers and professionals charged with developing membership and donation programs in zoological parks and other relevant organizations. The study results also suggest a number of potentially productive directions for future research in these areas.<br></div><div><br></div>

Nonmarket activities such as gardening and cooking are often correlated with increased well-being and happiness. Additionally, nonmarket, casual activities such as gardening and food preparation are often internally motivated, and provide observable examples of self-concordant experiences. Self-concordance, i.e., internalized motivation, has been shown to increase satisfaction and increase efficacy of goal attainment. Further, experiential hobbies such as gardening may help individuals feel more satisfied, adopt more intrinsic life aspirations, and be less materialistic. This study explored satisfaction, materialism, and food activities by focusing on first-person, lived experiences of eight urban gardeners in Portland Oregon who grow, prepare, and eat their own food. Little is known about what specific food experiences lead to increased feelings of well-being and satisfaction. Whereas previous research focused on defining and assessing materialism based on life aspiration measures, this study explored how intrinsic life aspirations translate into concrete, lived experiences expressed through food activities. The goal of the current study was to gain a deeper understanding of how food experiences satisfied the psychological needs of urban gardeners. Qualitative analysis of interviews and other data revealed that food experiences: 1) were motivated by intrinsic reasons, such as competency, creativity, and curiosity, and also sometimes for extrinsic reasons such as status and security, 2) were affected by enabling factors such as social relationships, and disabling factors such as time, energy, and financial limitations, and 3) resulted in increased life satisfaction, and feelings of strength, and confidence. Additionally, participants' level of general materialism often corresponded with their level of materialism regarding their food experiences. The results indicated that individually tailored experiential long-term food related hobbies are highly valued and a source of great satisfaction for a variety of psychological needs, such as relatedness, connection, work-life balance, and abundance. These results show that food activities can be intrinsically satisfying and can mitigate the negative effects of materialism. The findings from this study build theory and provide direction for potential future research in reducing materialism by developing measures for types of satisfaction from food activities and testing correlations with materialism and life satisfaction.

Name: Motor skills of preschool children Objectives: The aim of this thesis was to determine the difference of motor skills of preschool children among children regularly attending free time courses focused on physical activities, led by experienced lecturers, and children in different kindergartens who do not attend these courses or rarely attend them. Methods: 67 children aged 4-6 years participated in the research. These were 9 children from the municipal kindergarten, 30 children from the village kindergarten and 28 children from the sports agency (club). Children were evaluated once by using the following tests: beep test, 4x5 m run, long jump, ball throw with right and left hand, sit and reach test. Results: The results confirm the assumption that children who participate in physical activity in their free time as well as in the kindergarten have better results than children who do physical education only in kindergarten. At the municipal nursery school, the children at the best level managed only the right- and left-hand throw. Statistically significant differences between groups occurred in the 4 x 5 m run, long jump and beep test, most often in favor of the sports agency. There was a significant difference in disciplines running 4 x 5 m, long jump from place and beep test between village...

This study examines Midwestern collegiate and metropolitan newspapers to explore the differences in writing about disability language, terminology and tone. Specifically, this study focused on whether referential language and tone about people with disabilities differs depending on the source of the newspaper. Data from six metropolitan papers and eight collegiate papers over forty randomly selected dates in the year 2014 was collected. The metropolitan newspapers analyzed were The Chicago Tribune, The Indianapolis Star, The Des Moines Register, Detroit Free Press, Omaha World-Herald, and the Journal Sentinel. The collegiate newspapers examined were The Daily Illini, Indiana Daily Student, The Daily Iowan, The Michigan Daily, The State News, Daily Nebraskan, The Exponent, and The Badger Herald. A list of key search terms was electronically searched in each newspaper and articles that fell on the forty dates were saved and analyzed. Each term that appeared in the article was evaluated on a Likert scale for language use and tone; the total number of pages of each article was also calculated. Statistical tests used were T-Tests and analysis of covariance (ANCOVAR). A visual analysis was also conducted using an online word generator called Wordle. The results indicated that metropolitan papers used more preferred disability language than their collegiate counterparts. Both sources used an informational tone when referencing people with disabilities. Page length differences were statistically insignificant. Specific words repeatedly appeared throughout both newspaper sources: mental, disabilities, crazy, health and illness. While metropolitan papers also displayed preference for the following terms: elderly, elder, people, wheelchair, and older adults. Collegiate newspapers highlighted these terms: students, insane, madness, elderly and wheelchair. An implication of the study is that the media sources selected represented people with disabilities in an informational tone rather than a sensationalistic manner. However, disability language needs to continue to improve and become more sensitive to people with disabilities and professionals who work with them.

The problem under investigation was to determine the leisure time activities and interests of Utah State University students. A questionnaire was circulated to a stratified-random sample group of 654 students from the nine colleges chosen by sex and class rank, spring quarter 1968. The students answered questions concerning their participation in recreation activities on campus, off campus, and as a spectator; no interest to participate in certain recreation activities; and desire to participate in recreation activities but did not for various reasons. The results indicated that the majority of the students satisfy on and off campus activity participation needs through spectator activities. However, students who responded did express a desire to participate in individual sports which have carry-over value for later life. They also are interested in activities which involve a more strenuous type of participation and preferably in the out-of-doors. The recreational activities offered to Utah State University students through the existing organizations do not satisfy all their activity needs. It was therefore recommended that a Recreational Council be formed comprising students, faculty, administration, and organizations for the express purpose of formulating new and more diversified recreation programs for Utah State University students.

[pt] Este trabalho identifica os fatores que impedem ou restringem o consumo de atividades de turismo por pessoas de mais idade. Investiga, também, a influência de variáveis demográficas, como idade, sexo, entre outras, na percepção destes fatores. Por meio de um questionário aplicado a pessoas com mais de 55 anos, obtém dados que possibilitaram o teste de várias hipóteses. Os resultados demonstram que os consumidores de mais idade não apresentam fortes restrições a viajar e que se sentem altamente estimulados para este tipo de lazer. Assim como em diversos estudos anteriores sobre restrições ao lazer, os principais fatores identificados foram tempo e recursos financeiros. / [en] This study identifies the factors that constrain senior consumers in their traveling consumption. It also investigates how demographic differences (age, gender, work status and companion at home) affect the perception of travel constraints. Through a sample of senior consumers (age 55+), several hypotheses were tested. Results show that most senior consumers are not likely to have a host of travel constraints and that they are actually enthusiastic towards this kind of leisure activity. As observed in earlier studies of leisure constraints, this study reaches the similar results, primarily that time and money seems the major constraints.

Fatigue secondary to chronic illness (FSCI) is a common experience in individuals with chronic conditions, with fatigue impacting on performance of daily activities and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Due to the higher prevalence of FSCI in women, they may experience even greater disruption to roles and activity engagement. The literature consistently points to three main aspects when defining fatigue regardless of diagnoses; a physical aspect, a psychological aspect, and the impact on activity and participation. Research into the first two aspects has demonstrated relationships between fatigue, pain, depression, and social support. However, examination of the third aspect has been largely overlooked with respect its relationship to, and impact on, fatigue. Leisure theorists have hypothesized that engagement in leisure activities makes a positive contribution to physical and mental health. Previous research has measured leisure activities based on frequency of, or satisfaction with, participation. While some research has shown that physical and social activities have positive health benefits, gaps still exist in understanding the relative contribution of different types of leisure participation to fatigue and HRQoL.For example, little research has examined the contributions of leisure participation and leisure satisfaction to HRQoL and fatigue in women with chronic conditions. One explanation for the lack of research may be the absence of measurement tools developed to classify and quantify participation in different types of leisure activities for women with FSCI. Without a measurement tool, the relative contribution of participation in different activities (by frequency and/or satisfaction) to fatigue and HRQoL cannot be examined. / This PhD research aimed to fill the current gaps in understanding different types of leisure participation in related to fatigue and HRQoL. It sought to address two component parts: development and testing of the Classification of Leisure Participation (CLP) Scale; and an examination of the contribution of leisure participation to fatigue and HRQoL in women with FSCI.

Despite the widely documented physical, psychological, and social benefits of regular participation in physical activity (Bauman & Campbell, 2001; Blair, Kohl & Barlow, 1995; Paluska & Schwenk, 2000; U.S Department of Health & Human Services, 1996), less than half of the Australian population participate in 'sufficient' levels of physical activity in terms of time and frequency of participation (Bauman, Ford & Armstrong, 2001). Thus the examination of social psychological determinants of regular participation in leisure-time physical activity is important. A mixed methods approach was adopted to identify and test the important social psychological determinants of regular participation in leisure-time physical activity. Phase one of the study was qualitative in nature and adopted a grounded theory approach. A number of important themes emerged from the qualitative phase, including: definitions and meanings of physical activity; physical activity and choice, obligation, reasons for participation; enjoyment of physical activity; changing perceptions and influences on physical activity from childhood to adulthood; and priority of physical activity. The interrelations between these themes and their impact on regularity of participation were explored. These findings, along with theoretical propositions and evidence from previous studies, contributed to the development of a model of the social psychological determinants of regular participation in leisure-time physical activity. They also contributed to the development of items to measure important concepts in the model. Phase two was quantitative in nature and used structural equation modelling to test the model. The quantitative phase involved a sample of 250 people aged 19-87 years living in an Australian capital city. Self-report questionnaires measured regularity of participation in leisure-time physical activity (dependent variable), leisure-time physical activity behaviour regulation, intrinsic motivation towards leisure-time physical activity, enjoyment of leisure-time physical activity, and priority of leisure-time physical activity (independent and mediating variables). Each of the independent and mediating variables was multidimensional in nature, the components of which were assessed using confirmatory factor analysis in structural equation modelling prior to the testing of structural models. After some adjustment, the predictors were satisfactorily represented by their respective multifactor models, except intrinsic motivation, which was best represented by a single factor model. Following modification, the proposed model of the social psychological determinants of regular participation in leisure-time physical activity was found to be a good fit of the data. Relationships within the model indicated the importance of the priority of leisure-time physical activity factors in the prediction of regular participation in leisure-time physical activity. The influence of preference for leisure-time physical activity on regular participation in leisure-time physical activity was mediated by level of priority and making time for leisure-time physical activity. That is, people who preferred to participate in leisure-time physical activity over other types of leisure tended to make it a higher priority, and, in turn, tended to make time to participate. Making time was subsequently associated with increased regularity of participation in leisure-time physical activity. The enjoyment factors influenced regular participation in leisure-time physical activity through their influence on preference for leisure-time physical activity. Activity enjoyment had a positive influence on preference and enjoyment dependent on surroundings had a negative influence. However, in the overall model, the behaviour regulators and intrinsic motivation attenuated the influence of the enjoyment factors on preference for leisure-time physical activity. This suggested that people's underlying behaviour regulators and levels of intrinsic motivation have a similar influence on their preference for leisure-time physical activity as their feelings of enjoyment. However, behaviour regulators and intrinsic motivation appear to be more powerful influences of preference than enjoyment. Intrinsic motivation towards leisure-time physical activity positively influenced regular participation in leisure-time physical activity through its influence on preference for leisure-time physical activity. It also had a direct influence on regularity of participation. Thus, people who were more intrinsically motivated tended to participate more regularly in leisure-time physical activity partly because they formed preferences for physical activity over other types of leisure. Furthermore, the direct influence of intrinsic motivation on regular participation suggested that there were explanations, beyond that of preference and priority, for why those who were intrinsically motivated tended to participate more regularly in leisure-time physical activity. The behaviour regulators of external regulation (negative), introjected regulation (positive) and identified regulation (positive) influenced regularity of participation in leisure-time physical activity mostly through their influence on intrinsic motivation towards leisure-time physical activity. That is, when people felt their physical activity was externally regulated, they felt less intrinsically motivated to participate and this was subsequently associated with less regular participation. On the other hand, when people were regulated by introjection and identification, they tended to feel more intrinsically motivated and this was subsequently associated with more regular participation. External regulation and introjected regulation also had a direct negative influence on preference for leisure-time physical activity and perceptions of the availability of time, respectively. Thus, people who felt externally regulated tended to have less preference for leisure-time physical activity and those who were regulated through introjection were more likely to perceive that they did not have the time to participate. This study contributes to the body of knowledge by highlighting the importance of preferences and prioritisation on perceptions of time availability, and subsequently, regularity of participation in leisure-time physical activity. It also demonstrated that behaviour regulators and intrinsic motivation are important determinants of regular participation in leisure-time physical activity in a general community sample. These findings have theoretical and practical implications for researchers, leisure professionals, and policy makers. They also suggest a number of significant areas of further research.

This study reports on an investigation into individuals’ experiences of spiritual leisure. Though there is a range of literature and research that examines the independent concepts of leisure and spirituality, there continues to be a lack of empirical research into the existence and experience of leisure that may be spiritual. Given that both traditional and ongoing understandings of leisure emphasise their impact on the whole of the person, this lack of attention to the spiritual dimension creates a gap in our understanding. Leisure is increasingly seen as having a role to play in human well-being. What is less well known is the role and place of spirituality in that interplay. It is recognised that a sense of spirituality can be accessed in a diversity of ways, through, for example prayer, meditation and an engagement with sacred places. The spiritual forum of leisure however, remains less acknowledged and understood despite the fact that spiritual benefits have been identified as part of leisure participation. The purpose of this study was to develop insight into the existence and nature of this relationship by exploring the phenomenon of spiritual leisure experiences. As a primary research focus, this topic is rarely directly considered. Rather it is most often raised as an anecdotal benefit of leisure, a philosophical potential for leisure, or more recently, a component of people’s spiritual and general well-being. Based on personal interest, informed by intuition and grounded in the theoretical and philosophical concepts of leisure and spirituality, this study sought to fill some gaps in our understandings of spiritual leisure experiences. Using a phenomenological approach, this descriptive, qualitative study aimed to explore the subjective meanings individuals give to experiences they refer to as spiritual leisure. Thus, 24 co-researchers were invited to share their self-defined spiritual leisure experiences, through open, unstructured interviews and reflective journaling. The leisure experiences the co-researchers described as spiritual occurred within various locations and involved multiple contexts. These included social and solo experiences, nature based or urban environments and active or passive pursuits. Reflective of what happened, the descriptions of the co-researchers revealed that spiritual leisure experiences could vary in situation, conditions, activity and contexts. The meanings behind these descriptions were also sought and three groupings of common themes were recognised: namely triggers; responses and outcomes. These structural components of spiritual leisure were interrelated in the co-researchers conscious understandings and represented a suite of feelings, thoughts, sensations and meanings embedded in the context, actions and locations of their leisure. Finally, the research included an exploration of the underlying essences of the experiences. Five interrelated essences of spiritual leisure emerged representing the phenomenon of spiritual leisure. These were: experiencing self; time and space for self; being; becoming; and belonging. Overall, the results demonstrated that experiences of leisure that were spiritual were evident for the 24 co-researchers. The experience of spiritual leisure was understood as an event that was lived physically, emotionally and affectively and while it varied in context it also shared the characteristics of providing a forum for knowing, being and becoming more of the self. In spiritual leisure, individuals found a life-space in which to discover and know aspects of themselves and to feel a sense of belonging. This study clearly identifies leisure as a valuable and edifying aspect of some people’s lives in relation to developing their spiritual self or for experiencing their spirituality. The essential themes remind us of the true potential leisure can have in people’s lives. More broadly, the study acknowledges the nature of spiritual leisure, its structural components and the value of studying the phenomenon from the perspective of the experiencing person.