scholarly journals Double Life: Music as Work and Serious Leisure

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tuire Kuusi ◽  
Pertti Haukola

<p>Serious leisure (SL) is defined as an intensive, long-term free-time activity which has deep meaning for an individual and generates its own rewards without external incentives. SL has been studied intensively, yet studies on the mutual effects of an individual’s work and SL are scanty, especially when music is either the work or the SL. Our research addressed the connection between work and SL with both musicians and non-musicians. The data consisted of nine interviews. Four of the participants were professional musicians with various SLs (acting, woodwork, handicrafts, and urban culture). The other five (an architect, a librarian, two directors, and a project manager), conversely, had music as their SL. Qualitative content analysis of the data was conducted, and we analysed the data in relation to psychological recovery experiences (psychological detachment, relaxation, mastery and control), using the concepts of segmentation, spillover and compensation. The data were classified into three thematic clusters 1) Participants’ manner of talking about SL, 2) Aspects of SL, and 3) SL and work with further subdivisions into themes and categories. Our data did not show any difference between comments from the two participant groups. SL had positive effects on subjective well-being, notions of identity, and working abilities. It stimulated psychological recovery and gave meaning and content to the participants’ lives. We suggest that in today’s busy work life, employers should take advantage of SL and its positive effects.</p><p> </p>

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 269
Author(s):  
AliAyşe Nur Katmer ◽  
Ramazan Demir ◽  
Ali Çekiç ◽  
Zeynep Hamamcı

This study investigates the effects of psychodrama on adults’ anxiety and subjective well-being levels. A pre/post-test experimental pattern is used with experimental and control groups. The study sample consists of 24 non-thesis master’s program students at Gaziantep University, Human Psychology, and Communication. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and the Subjective Well-Being Scale were applied as a pre-test to the experimental and control groups. The psychodrama group practice was performed with the experimental group once a week for eleven weeks, 90 minutes per session, while the control group did not receive any practice. After the application, the post-test was administered to both groups. The data were analyzed with SPSS 23 statistical program. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to evaluate the difference between the experimental and control group, and the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test was applied for the changes within the experimental group. The findings indicate that the individuals’ anxiety level in the experimental group significantly decreased compared to the control group. There was no significant difference between subjective well-being in the experimental and control group for pre-test and post-test applications.


2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 545-561
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Huynh ◽  
Ashley Stewart-Tufescu

Over the past decade there has been a call to action for researchers to explore children’s subjectivities in the context of well-being. How children understand and experience well-being in a Canadian context was examined in this study. Twenty-one children between 8 and 12 years of age participated in semi-structured interviews facilitated by the Life Story Board™. Three main themes emerged: (1) freedom and control, (2) child rights and social supports, and (3) children’s participation as social actors. Results from this study highlighted the importance of children needing to feel heard by parents and teachers; children being recognised as rights-holders with opportunities to actualise their rights; and children having meaningful opportunities to participate in matters which concerns them in everyday life as important components of subjective well-being. Results may serve to inform child-serving professionals, policymakers, and parents and guardians about how school-aged children from this Canadian context conceptualize and experience well-being.


2020 ◽  
pp. 016402752096154
Author(s):  
Wen-Jui Han ◽  
Ying Li ◽  
Cliff Whetung

Using a sample of Chinese adults over the age of 50 from wave 1 of the WHO Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health (n = 13,367), we investigated the relationship between living arrangements and subjective well-being (SWB) in regard to life satisfaction, happiness, and control. We also looked at the moderating role of resources, proxied by income and hukou status. Multivariate regression results indicate that living only with a spouse was significantly associated with better SWB. Multigenerational living arrangements may not always promote SWB, particularly when resources are constrained. Yet, results also underscore the importance of daughters and daughters-in-law in promoting SWB among older adults. Older adults in rural areas had better SWB, including greater life satisfaction if living with grandchildren only, compared to their urban peers living with a spouse only. Findings suggest that context matters in the association between living arrangements and older adults’ SWB.


2017 ◽  
Vol 36 (10) ◽  
pp. 1294-1303 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven A. Schulz ◽  
Thomas Martin ◽  
Heather M. Meyer

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of internal marketing orientation, external marketing orientation, and subjective well-being on the affective organizational commitment of frontline employees. Design/methodology/approach Previous research was used to develop hypotheses and develop a questionnaire for this project. An online survey was completed by 108 frontline employees. Findings The hypothesized model of all three variables having positive effects on organization commitment was supported. Internal marketing orientation, external marketing orientation, and subjective well-being were significant predictors of affective organizational commitment. Research limitations/implications A key limitation of this study is the cross-sectional, data collection design. A longitudinal study would allow for increased confidence when evaluating causal inferences with this type of data. Practical implications This paper identifies how managers may be able to use internal marketing orientation, external marketing orientation, and subjective well-being as potential tools to increase the affective organizational commitment of frontline employees. Social implications This paper demonstrates the importance of subjective well-being as an important component of life for an employee and success of the organization. Originality/value This paper extends current research on affective organizational commitment by testing a new model that includes internal marketing orientation, external marketing orientation, and subjective well-being as predictor variables.


Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 1665
Author(s):  
Alejandro Martínez-Rodríguez ◽  
Bernardo José Cuestas-Calero ◽  
José Manuel García-De Frutos ◽  
Pablo Jorge Marcos-Pardo

Several studies have demonstrated the positive effects of physical exercise programs on physical and mental health throughout life. It is necessary to know the factors that contribute to the well-being of older adults in order to achieve healthy aging. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between well-being perception and the use of autonomy supportive coaching behaviours across a motivational aquatic resistance interval training program. Thirty-four women over 65 years of age from the province of Alicante, Spain, participated, and were randomly assigned to: motivational aquatic resistance interval training group (MART; age: 69.6 ± 5.01 years, height: 1.62 ± 7.88 m, weight: 75.3 ± 12.8 kg) and control group (CG; age: 67.7 ± 3.60 years, height: 1.54 ± 5.47 m, weight: 66.9 ± 10.2 kg). The MART program was conducted for 14 weeks, with three training sessions/week. The CG did not perform any physical activity during the study. Perception of autonomy support was assessed through the Autonomy-Supportive Coaching Questionnaire (ASCQ), Psychological needs by the Basic Psychological Needs in Exercise Scale (BPNES), Intrinsic motivation to exercise was assessed through Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) and Perception of Physical Activity by the International physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ). In MART, compared to CG, significant differences were observed in BPNS, IMI and IPAQ questionnaires used, except in the ASCQ. The differences were significant in all three cases in BPNS (p < 0.05 in autonomy and competence and p = 0.001 in relationship with others), obtaining better scores after intervention than previously. As for the IMI scale, significant differences were also obtained in both subscales. The level of physical activity also improved significantly, with higher scores on the IPAQ after the intervention than before (p < 0.001). In conclusion, when practitioners perceive greater well-being, satisfaction of their basic psychological needs, greater self-selection, volition, and autonomy instead of pressure, demand and control, the result is better behaviour with greater psychological well-being, adherence and consequent health benefits.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerhard Reese ◽  
Elias Kohler ◽  
Claudia Menzel

Virtual nature experiences can improve physiological and psychological well-being. While there is ample research on the positive effects of nature, both in virtual and physical settings, we know little about potential moderators of restoration effects in virtual reality settings. According to theories of needs and control beliefs, it is plausible to assume that control over one’s actions affects how people respond to nature experiences. In this Virtual Reality (VR) experiment, 64 participants could either actively navigate through a VR landscape or they were navigated by the experimenter. We measured their perceived stress, mood, and vitality before and after the VR experience, as well as subjective restoration outcome and perceived restorativeness of the landscape afterwards. Results revealed that participants’ positive affective states increased after the VR experience, regardless of control. There was also a main effect such that participants reported lower stress after the VR experience – however, qualified by an interaction showing that this was only the case in the “no control” condition. These results suggest that - unexpectedly - active VR experiences may be more stressful than passive ones, opening pathways for future research on how handling of and navigating in VR can attenuate effects of virtual nature.


2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fernanda Cesar Bonafini ◽  
Chungil Chae ◽  
Eunsung Park ◽  
Kathryn Weed Jablokow

Engagement in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) is based on students who self-organize their participation according to their own goals and interests. Visual materials such as videos and discussion forums are basic ways of engaging students in MOOCs. Student achievement in MOOCs is typically measured using assessments distributed throughout the course. Although there is research on the basic forms of student’s engagement and assessment in MOOCs, little is known about their effect on students’ achievement in the form of students completing a MOOC. Using binomial logistic regression models, this paper addresses this gap in the literature by presenting the degree to which student engagement with videos and forum posts can predict students’ probability of achievement in a MOOC. It also explores the extent to which participation behaviors and their intention to receive the course certification can be used to predict achievement in MOOCs. Using qualitative content analysis, this paper discusses the quality of the forum posts exchanged by participants in this MOOC. The findings from quantitative analysis support MOOC’s pedagogical assumptions, showing that students’ engagement in forums and with videos increases the probability of course achievement. It also shows that intention to certify plays a moderator effect on the number of videos watched, enhancing achievement in MOOCs. The findings from qualitative analysis reveal that most students’ posts in forums display more information acquisition than critical thinking. Implications for practice suggest MOOC designers and MOOC instructors foster engagement in forums by implementing discussion prompts that foster interactions about deep meaning of concepts or application of concepts covered in the MOOC. In regard to videos, implications for practice suggest the creation of interactive videos that promote students’ engagement and control such as inserting guiding questions and segmenting the video content. Future research comprising multiple MOOC cohorts is suggested to validate the empirical model presented in this study.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (15) ◽  
pp. 4189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sung-Kwon Hong ◽  
Sang-Woo Lee ◽  
Hyun-Kil Jo ◽  
Miyeon Yoo

Exposure to green spaces can reduce the negative effects of stress. This study examines how frequency of visits and time spent in urban green spaces (UGS) affect urban dwellers’ subjective well-being. We also investigated the numbers of respondents visiting UGS, their primary motivation, and constraints on their ability to visit. Using quota sampling, an online survey was conducted of 400 residents of Daejeon City, South Korea. ANOVA results indicated no significant interactions between visit frequency and time spent in UGS. Respondents who had visited UGS within the past two weeks expressed higher positive and lower negative emotions than did non-visitors, regardless of visit frequency, and regular visitors showed higher general life satisfaction levels. These positive effects were confirmed by estimated structural equation models. However, the time spent in UGS did not affect emotions or life satisfaction in general. Heavy users mostly visited UGS to walk, and light/non-users cited the lack of urban green spaces near their home as the major constraint on visiting UGS. The estimated structural equation models clearly show positive effects from motivation and negative effects of constraints and access time to UGS on visit frequency. To improve urban dwellers’ subjective well-being, UGS should prioritize good walking environments and accessibility.


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