Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T15:38:59Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 CintiaCL_DISSERT.pdf: 5640189 bytes, checksum: 9d7db9c4f86bd8ee59fb7cdcabf84e8f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-04-19 / Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior / Nowadays, the urban chaos brings some problems to the citizens such as mental fatigue, irritability and lack of attention, emphasizing the need for open urban spaces, capable to contribute to the restoration of physical and mental balance of people. By the variety of alternative uses available, many of them related to the stimulus of entertainment activities, the squares have been identified as restorative environments, especially by its potential as a place of leisure. In this context, the objective of this dissertation is to understand the use of the square as leisure environment, by a square in Natal RN, establishing the relationship between environmental and behavioral characteristics. More specifically, I attempt to identify the major activities that happen there, the people that develop them and the spatial and temporal configurations of this occupation. Among the 290 squares available in the city, the Kalina Maia Square was selected, which is located in the district of Lagoa Nova. The case study chosen was based on criteria relating to scale, shape, location on the urban environment, variability of uses and conservation status. In the study were used behavioral mapping place-centered and people-centered, behavior trace analysis and 14 interviews. The results show that the square is used by people from different ages and social classes, subdivided into groups with specific days and times. These users are usually engaged in activities related to various types of leisure, with sports predominance. The relationship between spatial configuration and behavior shows that there is a sectorization of uses, being possible to identify the environmental characteristics that most favor observed activities, especially in relation to shading and presence of furniture and equipment. Moreover, throughout the day it appears that the affordances inherent to the various fixed objects on the square are decoded differently by various categories of users, by giving them insights that help the development of leisure activities that characterize each group / Atualmente, o caos urbano traz aos moradores das cidades problemas como fadiga mental, irritabilidade e falta de aten??o, acentuando a necessidade de espa?os urbanos abertos, capazes de contribuir para a restaura??o do equil?brio f?sico e mental das pessoas. Pela variedade das alternativas de uso oferecidas, muitas das quais relacionadas ao est?mulo de atividades de entretenimento, as pra?as t?m sido apontadas como ambientes restauradores, principalmente pelo seu potencial enquanto lugar de lazer. Nesse contexto, o objetivo geral desta disserta??o ? a compreens?o do uso da pra?a como ambiente de lazer, tomando como refer?ncia o estudo de uma pra?a de Natal RN, estabelecendo a rela??o entre suas caracter?sticas ambientais e comportamentais. Mais especificamente, busco identificar as principais atividades que ali acontecem, as pessoas que as desempenham e as configura??es espaciais e temporais dessa ocupa??o. Dentre 290 pra?as existentes na cidade, foi selecionada a Pra?a Kalina Maia, localizada no bairro de Lagoa Nova. A escolha do estudo de caso recorreu a crit?rios relativos ? escala, forma, localiza??o na malha urbana, variabilidade de usos e estado de conserva??o. No estudo utilizei mapeamento comportamental centrado no lugar e centrado nas pessoas, an?lise de vest?gios de comportamento e 14 entrevistas. Os resultados revelam que a pra?a ? utilizada por pessoas de varias idades e classes sociais, subdivididas em grupos com dias e hor?rios espec?ficos. Estes usu?rios geralmente se envolvem em atividades ligadas a v?rios tipos de lazer, com predomin?ncia do esportivo. A rela??o entre configura??o espacial e comportamento mostra haver uma setoriza??o dos usos, sendo poss?vel identificar as caracter?sticas ambientais que mais favorecem algumas das atividades observadas, sobretudo relacionadas ao sombreamento e ? presen?a de mobili?rio e equipamentos. Al?m disso, ao longo do dia verifica-se que as affordances inerentes aos diversos objetos fixos presentes no local s?o decodificadas diferentemente pelas v?rias categorias de usu?rios, proporcionando a eles entendimentos que favorecem o desenvolvimento das atividades de lazer que caracterizam cada grupo

Increasing physical activity levels of older adults is a public health priority given the associated risks with sedentary lifestyles. Exercise such as walking may positively affect older adults as they age decreasing the risk of heart disease, stroke, or death. The purpose of this study was to examine physical activities of older adults in senior housing and to determine if age correlates with the amount of physical activity. Physical activity studies on older adults are limited due to time and resources. The health belief model and transtheoretical model frames this study theorizing that older adults will take positive steps towards achieving recommended physical activities based on their perceived threats and benefits. A correlational research design provided systematic information about physical activities of older adults in senior housing and aided in determining if age relates to the amount of physical activity. The study used a convenience sampling of 62 older adults in senior housing and data collected from the Community Health Activities Model Program for Seniors questionnaire. The make-up of the sample included 36 females and 26 males aged 65 to 84 years old. The age of older adults in a senior housing community is not related to the amount of physical activity completed per week. The results of the descriptive analyses show that 53% of older adults in senior housing are not meeting physical activity guidelines of at least 150 minutes of physical activity per week. However, this is not statistically significant since all p-values for physical activity are greater than .05% level of significance at .776. Additional services such as providing leisure activity support to older adults through peer monitoring or adequate recreational facilities in the community can aid in helping older adults achieve physical activity recommendations.

The purpose of the study was to investigate pornography use in the context of leisure boredom. The sample consisted of N = 290 married couples (N = 580 individuals) from a large Northwestern city in the United States. When controlling for demographic variables, leisure boredom accounted for 2.2% of the variance within pornography use. Results suggest leisure boredom as a significant predictor of pornography use in married adults. A quadratic effect was also found, suggesting this relationship to be curvilinear. Findings are discussed around the use of leisure theory in pornography scholarship, in this case leisure boredom. Practical applications and suggestions for future research around sex and pornography addiction and therapeutic recreation are discussed.

This current study utilized recreation specialization and leisure motivation theory to explore the meanings, perspectives, and behaviors among female surfers. Despite numerous studies previously published regarding recreation specialization and leisure motivation related to activity participation, little research has been conducted on the activity of surfing from a female perspective. Data for this study were collected using in-depth, semi- structured interviews of nine women surfers from the California Central Coast. Content analyses of the data involved coding and identifying key themes, patterns, and categories. The dominant themes significant within recreation specialization included past participation (e.g., preceding activities to eventual participation and wave/swell conditions), perceived skills (i.e., skills important to surfing, perceived skill level), commitment (e.g., central to life activity, central leisure activity, affective attachment, and adoption of social/cultural values), and enduring involvement (e.g., attraction and sensory enjoyment). The major themes that emerged from data specific to leisure motivation included initial attraction (e.g., observing others), initial motivation to participate/actively pursue (e.g., desirable setting and sensory enjoyment) and enduring motivation (e.g., achievement/stimulation, sensory enjoyment, anticipation, attraction and flow). Major themes emerged from the results of this study identify the varying styles of involvement in the participants. Additionally, results revealed the behaviors and feminine perspectives of participants that identified the meanings and experiences associated with these categories. Participants identified the pre-activity routines they engage in to prepare for surfing addressed how surfing provides them opportunities for relational leisure and self-determined leisure. Lastly, participants’ revealed factors that constrain participation and opportunities for relational and autonomous experiences.