Perception Of Constraints To Recreational Sport Participation

Author : Laura Wood (Ph. D.)
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 282 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (16 download)

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Download or read book Continued Sport Participation and the Negotiation of Constraints written by Laura Wood (Ph. D.) and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 282 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The purpose of this dissertation was to expand upon current theoretical understandings of how and why people continue to participate in recreational sport. Central to this purpose is an understanding of the social processes that support ongoing involvement and the negotiation of constraints that would otherwise limit participation. This purpose is explored through three studies that seek to overcome limitations in extant research. Study 1 examines the contributions of a social group to women's continued participation in golf through ethnographic methods. This study builds upon research on leisure-based social worlds and recent work identifying the potentially valuable roles of social groups in women's continued participation in recreation. Data were collected through an ethnography of a women's social group who regularly played golf. Data were analyzed using a grounded theory approach. The findings suggested two overarching themes that explained persistence in golf for these women: connecting with group members, and constructing a group culture. Importantly, the processes that facilitated the development of group connections were also identified. Thus, work noting the importance of socializing in leisure engagement is extended by analyzing participation in process terms. Further, downplaying competition, constructing unique rules, and avoiding instruction were identified as key aspects of a unique group culture. Study 2 develops an understanding of constraints and negotiation processes in a self-organized middle age women's recreation group. While research has found that people prefer to participate with others, research examining constraints to participation have primarily taken an individual perspective. Further, although women's participation in recreation is often limited for various reasons, recent research has found that participation in a group setting can facilitate women's persistence in recreational pursuits. Data were collected and analyzed the same way they were in Study 1. While some of these constraints influenced recreation involvements negatively, the findings predominantly describe how the group has collectively developed strategies that enabled them to negotiate most constraints. Specifically, findings highlight six ways in which the group of women negotiated constraints. Importantly, a description of how constraints developed and were negotiated over time was also identified and described, thereby casting the negotiation process in a more dynamic light. Study 3 extends Hubbard and Mannell's (2001) work on the constraint negotiation process through the addition and refinement of key factors, within the context of intramural sports. Thus, both theoretical advances at a general level and context specific understandings were sought. The sample consisted of university students aged 17 to 24 years at a large university in Southwestern Ontario (N = 237). Results of the structural equation modeling analysis indicated the constraint-effects-mitigation model was not supported and the perceived-constraint-effects model provided a good fit to the data. Contrary to previous tests of the model, higher levels of negotiation strategies were found to be predictive of lower levels of constraints. Although constraints were still negatively impactful on participation levels, their overall effect was reduced by the use of negotiation strategies. Further, both motivation and ego involvement were found to be positive predictors of negotiation.