Deck 6: Sociocultural Factors Affecting Leisure

Question 1

Children, Play, and Nature
The study of play is experiencing a resurgence in a society where children are being regimented and overscheduled; where computer time exceeds outdoor time considerably; and where parents are afraid to let their children outdoors. Cities are not planned and managed for the benefit of children's play. According to Churchman,
[Cities] do not provide many or sufficient places that adequately and appropriately meet the developmental needs of children. They do not facilitate and encourage the independent use of the city by children. … They do not welcome children in all areas of the city with open arms, or project a message that says this is for you too. a
Children seek out natural play environments, and the younger they are, the more important such environments are to their development. Whether it be the backyard, neighborhood park, a natural area, or state park, these areas appear to provide important opportunities for experiences that can have positive developmental outcomes for children of all ages. One of those important outcomes is the opportunity to develop imagination using items found in the environment, such as rocks, twigs, flowers, and so forth. One researcher suggests that such opportunities to develop imagination results in high social and cognitive benefits. b In another study conducted with children in poor urban environments, when the family was relocated to areas with more nearby nature the children had higher levels of cognitive ability. c
The terms natural play and natural play environments have different connotations. Natural play environments are outdoor settings, or settings that primarily have not been manicured or prepared by individuals into a more formal park setting. Natural play, by contrast, is the process of children playing without intervention from adults, support devices such as playground equipment, and other external influences. Natural play is also called child-directed play. The importance of natural play, regardless of the setting, is its recognized contributions to social, emotional, cognitive, and physical well-being of children and youth. d
How has play outdoors changed for children today

Answer 1

Case synopsis:
Case study discusses three important factors such as "children, play, and nature." The study of playing experience in childhood and its resurgence in the society is more important. At present due to various reasons such as technology and lack of place, kids are not playing outdoor games as well as indoor games. However, children like to play in the natural environment. It will help in leisure and recreation.
The following are the changes in outdoor play for children today:
• There is a well-maintained ground available for present generation children. In past, the empty places were used as playground.
• The experienced couch provides proper training towards one particular area of interest of the kids. In the past, the children used to play gameson their own interest without any coaching.
• Costly tools and equipments are used in the outdoor games. In the past, the children used toplay even without shoes.
• In the past, there were more places for playing all kinds of games at free of cost. The rivers had clean water and the atmosphere had fresh air. During those days, children play with their friends in nearby places. They used to enjoy swimming in the rivers. However, at the present trend, such empty places are converted to building and few spaces are converted as paid ground.Swimming is also converted as business by collecting money for playing in pools.

Question 2

Recreation and Adolescents
This section of the text focuses on the issues surrounding adolescence. It is a challenging time and one marked with many changes for a child. Review the issues discussed and consider the following questions.
What are some activities that could address adolescents' sense of boredom and need for excitement

Answer 2

Recreation:
Recreation is an activity for engaging leisure time with fun and joy. This activity is essential for the refreshment of the mind and body of an individual. It includes playing games, reading books, and watching movie to engage leisure time.
The following are the activities that could address adolescents' sense of boredom and requirement for excitement:
• Teens should come out from the mobile world and play outdoor games to avoid boredom
• Playing in the "natural environment" improves the health and helps to avoid boredom
• Teenagers should play the traditional game to get excitement because it requires energy to have a win over the opponent
• Helping poor people through group of friends create some kind of relaxation and it helps in avoiding boredom
• Giving surprise gift to adolescents for their achievement leads to excitement

Question 3

Recreation and Adolescents
This section of the text focuses on the issues surrounding adolescence. It is a challenging time and one marked with many changes for a child. Review the issues discussed and consider the following questions.
What additional issues would you list as impacting adolescents and their leisure Why did you choose these issues

Answer 3

Recreation:
Recreation is an activity for engaging leisure time with fun and joy. This activity is essential for the refreshment of the mind and body of an individual. It includes playing games, reading books, and watching movie to engage leisure time.
The following is the issue that is mostly influential on adolescent behavior:
The present trend in the negative adolescent leisure pursuit is mostly influential on adolescent behavior. The following are the negative trends:
Usage of drug and alcohol: At present, alcohol is the major problem of the adolescents. The alcohol usage induces adolescents to involve themselves in theft, gambling, and sexual crime. Drinking alcohol increases the fighting habits, aggressiveness, lose consciousness, and memory loss.
Gambling: The report of police department clearly says that the teen gambling is rising in the present scenario. Declining grades in study, fatigue from lack of sleep, or an experienced person includes children in gambling.
Sexuality: In U country, pregnancies of minor are high in rate. The use of technology induces sexuality by sharing pornography films and photos with someone else through mobile phone or any other electronic format.
The following is the additional issue that creates impact on adolescents and their leisure activity:
Technology: All teenagers in the modern world use the mobile phone, laptop, and tablets. They use internet and interact with everyone at the times they need. It will consume more time and most of the adolescents are addicted to social networks. This will reduce the outdoor activity and cause many health issues.
Lack of interest in the recreation activity and need for excitement is another issue. The teenagers are not interested in the regular course of recreation activities. They expect activities with excitement to spend their leisure time. Sometimes it may lead to accidents or injuries.
The reason for selecting this issue is that the technology is improved day by day and people shows more interest to learn these new technological update. This will affect the human body and mind, without involving into the leisure activity.

Question 4

In terms of the general cultural scene, members of different racial and ethnic minorities have gained prominence in recent years in film, television, and other artistic or literary areas. What images are generally presented in terms of gender, socio economic status, and age
__________
__________
__________
__________

Question 5

LGBT Sports League to Form
A group of 10 LGBT people in the community come into the local parks and recreation department to discuss sport opportunities for those who identify as LGBT. They are requesting that a volleyball league and a co-ed softball league be formed. They also guarantee that they can put together at least six teams in each league, and that they will not limit players to just people who are LGBT. Your agency already has adult sports leagues, but this group wants their own league.
Take the other side of the argument. List potential reasons why forming the league would not be a good idea.

Question 6

How do you think race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status interrelate How is leisure affected by these sociocultural factors
__________
__________
__________
__________

Question 7

Racial and Ethnic Constraints
A recent study examined what constraints racial and ethnic groups faced in terms of physical activity in recreation and park areas. The study was done because of the differences in obesity rates based on race. Many park and recreation areas are available to everyone at a low cost and are often found within the neighborhood, thus increasing access. However, different racial groups face different constraints in terms of using these areas. Here is what the study found:
Hispanics/Latinos are most constrained and whites are least constrained.
Hispanics were fearful of physical assault and not enough lighting.
Blacks and Hispanics/Latinos felt more constrained than whites, stating that they did not have enough energy; they fear racial conflict; they feel unwelcome; and the location of the park area is not close enough to home.
Asian and Hispanics/Latinos were more fearful of sexual assault than white respondents.
Black and Hispanics/Latinos were more concerned about the location not offering the activities that they want than Asians or whites. a
What can be done at these park areas to make them more inviting to all racial and ethnic groups

Question 8

Although LGBT people are increasingly gaining acceptance in the United States, there are still a large number of people who disagree with alternative sexual orientations. Should public agencies, which are supported with public tax dollars, provide programs for LGBT people Should these same agencies provide programs specifically targeted at specific ethnic or religious groups such as Muslims
__________
__________
__________
__________

Question 9

Older adults make up a rapidly growing segment of the population. How has society traditionally considered the aging process and the role of older persons in community life What new views have developed in recent years What are the implications of these changes for recreation practitioners working with older persons
__________
__________
__________
__________

Question 10

Define the three categories of leisure constraints. What constraints do LGBT people face Men Women
__________
__________
__________
__________

Question 11

The Benefits of Play
There are many benefits to child's play. However, the amount of time children spend playing is decreasing due to such things as a hurried family lifestyle, increased pressure for higher academic enrichment, poverty, lack of play spaces, fear of crime, and technology, to name a few.
Task:
1. Find three articles that support the benefits of play and three articles that discuss the decline of play.
2. Develop a list of the benefits of play and reasons for the decline learned from these articles.
Discuss the reasons for the decline in play. What can be done to overcome these challenges and increase play in the community

Question 12

Differentiate between race and ethnicity.
__________
__________
__________
__________

Question 13

Children, Play, and Nature
The study of play is experiencing a resurgence in a society where children are being regimented and overscheduled; where computer time exceeds outdoor time considerably; and where parents are afraid to let their children outdoors. Cities are not planned and managed for the benefit of children's play. According to Churchman,
[Cities] do not provide many or sufficient places that adequately and appropriately meet the developmental needs of children. They do not facilitate and encourage the independent use of the city by children. … They do not welcome children in all areas of the city with open arms, or project a message that says this is for you too. a
Children seek out natural play environments, and the younger they are, the more important such environments are to their development. Whether it be the backyard, neighborhood park, a natural area, or state park, these areas appear to provide important opportunities for experiences that can have positive developmental outcomes for children of all ages. One of those important outcomes is the opportunity to develop imagination using items found in the environment, such as rocks, twigs, flowers, and so forth. One researcher suggests that such opportunities to develop imagination results in high social and cognitive benefits. b In another study conducted with children in poor urban environments, when the family was relocated to areas with more nearby nature the children had higher levels of cognitive ability. c
The terms natural play and natural play environments have different connotations. Natural play environments are outdoor settings, or settings that primarily have not been manicured or prepared by individuals into a more formal park setting. Natural play, by contrast, is the process of children playing without intervention from adults, support devices such as playground equipment, and other external influences. Natural play is also called child-directed play. The importance of natural play, regardless of the setting, is its recognized contributions to social, emotional, cognitive, and physical well-being of children and youth. d
Ask your parents or an older adult how they played outdoors as children. What did they say How is that different from your play

Question 14

Define ethnicity hypothesis , marginality hypothesis , and acculturation.
__________
__________
__________
__________

Question 15

Recreation and Adolescents
This section of the text focuses on the issues surrounding adolescence. It is a challenging time and one marked with many changes for a child. Review the issues discussed and consider the following questions.
Parks and recreation agencies find it difficult to create programs for teens because of their lack of participation. What can agencies do to attract more teenagers to use their services What programs could they implement to serve teens

Question 16

LGBT Sports League to Form
A group of 10 LGBT people in the community come into the local parks and recreation department to discuss sport opportunities for those who identify as LGBT. They are requesting that a volleyball league and a co-ed softball league be formed. They also guarantee that they can put together at least six teams in each league, and that they will not limit players to just people who are LGBT. Your agency already has adult sports leagues, but this group wants their own league.
Because this is an adult sports league, it will generate revenue from the players and not rely on tax support. Does this make a difference in whether or not you would start this league Why or why not

Question 17

The Benefits of Play
There are many benefits to child's play. However, the amount of time children spend playing is decreasing due to such things as a hurried family lifestyle, increased pressure for higher academic enrichment, poverty, lack of play spaces, fear of crime, and technology, to name a few.
Task:
1. Find three articles that support the benefits of play and three articles that discuss the decline of play.
2. Develop a list of the benefits of play and reasons for the decline learned from these articles.
What are additional benefits to play that are not listed in your text

Question 18

How have women's roles with respect to recreation and leisure differed from those of men, in terms of societal attitudes and constraints, throughout history How have they changed from the past As a class, have male and female students analyze and compare their gender-related patterns of leisure interests and involvement.
__________
__________
__________
__________

Question 19

Children, Play, and Nature
The study of play is experiencing a resurgence in a society where children are being regimented and overscheduled; where computer time exceeds outdoor time considerably; and where parents are afraid to let their children outdoors. Cities are not planned and managed for the benefit of children's play. According to Churchman,
[Cities] do not provide many or sufficient places that adequately and appropriately meet the developmental needs of children. They do not facilitate and encourage the independent use of the city by children. … They do not welcome children in all areas of the city with open arms, or project a message that says this is for you too. a
Children seek out natural play environments, and the younger they are, the more important such environments are to their development. Whether it be the backyard, neighborhood park, a natural area, or state park, these areas appear to provide important opportunities for experiences that can have positive developmental outcomes for children of all ages. One of those important outcomes is the opportunity to develop imagination using items found in the environment, such as rocks, twigs, flowers, and so forth. One researcher suggests that such opportunities to develop imagination results in high social and cognitive benefits. b In another study conducted with children in poor urban environments, when the family was relocated to areas with more nearby nature the children had higher levels of cognitive ability. c
The terms natural play and natural play environments have different connotations. Natural play environments are outdoor settings, or settings that primarily have not been manicured or prepared by individuals into a more formal park setting. Natural play, by contrast, is the process of children playing without intervention from adults, support devices such as playground equipment, and other external influences. Natural play is also called child-directed play. The importance of natural play, regardless of the setting, is its recognized contributions to social, emotional, cognitive, and physical well-being of children and youth. d
When you were a child, how often did you play outdoors What are your best memories of play as a child

Question 20

The Benefits of Play
There are many benefits to child's play. However, the amount of time children spend playing is decreasing due to such things as a hurried family lifestyle, increased pressure for higher academic enrichment, poverty, lack of play spaces, fear of crime, and technology, to name a few.
Task:
1. Find three articles that support the benefits of play and three articles that discuss the decline of play.
2. Develop a list of the benefits of play and reasons for the decline learned from these articles.
How has play for children changed since you were a child Ask your parents this same question.

Question 21

Recreation and Adolescents
This section of the text focuses on the issues surrounding adolescence. It is a challenging time and one marked with many changes for a child. Review the issues discussed and consider the following questions.
Which of the issues presented is most influential on adolescent behavior today

Question 22

Children, Play, and Nature
The study of play is experiencing a resurgence in a society where children are being regimented and overscheduled; where computer time exceeds outdoor time considerably; and where parents are afraid to let their children outdoors. Cities are not planned and managed for the benefit of children's play. According to Churchman,
[Cities] do not provide many or sufficient places that adequately and appropriately meet the developmental needs of children. They do not facilitate and encourage the independent use of the city by children. … They do not welcome children in all areas of the city with open arms, or project a message that says this is for you too. a
Children seek out natural play environments, and the younger they are, the more important such environments are to their development. Whether it be the backyard, neighborhood park, a natural area, or state park, these areas appear to provide important opportunities for experiences that can have positive developmental outcomes for children of all ages. One of those important outcomes is the opportunity to develop imagination using items found in the environment, such as rocks, twigs, flowers, and so forth. One researcher suggests that such opportunities to develop imagination results in high social and cognitive benefits. b In another study conducted with children in poor urban environments, when the family was relocated to areas with more nearby nature the children had higher levels of cognitive ability. c
The terms natural play and natural play environments have different connotations. Natural play environments are outdoor settings, or settings that primarily have not been manicured or prepared by individuals into a more formal park setting. Natural play, by contrast, is the process of children playing without intervention from adults, support devices such as playground equipment, and other external influences. Natural play is also called child-directed play. The importance of natural play, regardless of the setting, is its recognized contributions to social, emotional, cognitive, and physical well-being of children and youth. d
Do children engage in natural play today Why or why not

Question 23

LGBT Sports League to Form
A group of 10 LGBT people in the community come into the local parks and recreation department to discuss sport opportunities for those who identify as LGBT. They are requesting that a volleyball league and a co-ed softball league be formed. They also guarantee that they can put together at least six teams in each league, and that they will not limit players to just people who are LGBT. Your agency already has adult sports leagues, but this group wants their own league.
Assume you are part of the LGBT group seeking a league. What arguments would you use to convince the agency to start a league for you

Question 24

Recreation and Adolescents
This section of the text focuses on the issues surrounding adolescence. It is a challenging time and one marked with many changes for a child. Review the issues discussed and consider the following questions.
Snowplow and helicopter parents were discussed within the section on younger children. Are they still an issue for adolescents If so, how is it different for this age group

Question 25

Racial and Ethnic Constraints
A recent study examined what constraints racial and ethnic groups faced in terms of physical activity in recreation and park areas. The study was done because of the differences in obesity rates based on race. Many park and recreation areas are available to everyone at a low cost and are often found within the neighborhood, thus increasing access. However, different racial groups face different constraints in terms of using these areas. Here is what the study found:
Hispanics/Latinos are most constrained and whites are least constrained.
Hispanics were fearful of physical assault and not enough lighting.
Blacks and Hispanics/Latinos felt more constrained than whites, stating that they did not have enough energy; they fear racial conflict; they feel unwelcome; and the location of the park area is not close enough to home.
Asian and Hispanics/Latinos were more fearful of sexual assault than white respondents.
Black and Hispanics/Latinos were more concerned about the location not offering the activities that they want than Asians or whites. a
Why do you think there are differences in the constraints the various racial and ethnic groups face

Question 26

LGBT Sports League to Form
A group of 10 LGBT people in the community come into the local parks and recreation department to discuss sport opportunities for those who identify as LGBT. They are requesting that a volleyball league and a co-ed softball league be formed. They also guarantee that they can put together at least six teams in each league, and that they will not limit players to just people who are LGBT. Your agency already has adult sports leagues, but this group wants their own league.
You have decided to go ahead and run the softball league as a trial. You have two choices in location. One open field is in a complex of three other diamonds and is one of the best fields in the city. The other location is a decent field, but it is a standalone diamond on the edge of town. Which diamond would you choose for the league and why

Question 27

Select one of the following age groups: children, teens, young adults, middle adults, or older adults. What are this group's special needs for recreation in modern society, and what barriers or problems does it face in the appropriate choice of satisfying leisure activity
__________
__________
__________
__________

Question 28

Although there is still some resistance to considering LGBT people as a minority population, there has been major progress in terms of their legal standing and status in community life. What issues do you perceive as critical in terms of involving gays and lesbians as identifiable groups in community recreation programs How has this group been targeted by tourism agencies
__________
__________
__________
__________

Question 29

The Benefits of Play
There are many benefits to child's play. However, the amount of time children spend playing is decreasing due to such things as a hurried family lifestyle, increased pressure for higher academic enrichment, poverty, lack of play spaces, fear of crime, and technology, to name a few.
Task:
1. Find three articles that support the benefits of play and three articles that discuss the decline of play.
2. Develop a list of the benefits of play and reasons for the decline learned from these articles.
How did your play as a child reinforce these benefits

Question 30

Children, Play, and Nature
The study of play is experiencing a resurgence in a society where children are being regimented and overscheduled; where computer time exceeds outdoor time considerably; and where parents are afraid to let their children outdoors. Cities are not planned and managed for the benefit of children's play. According to Churchman,
[Cities] do not provide many or sufficient places that adequately and appropriately meet the developmental needs of children. They do not facilitate and encourage the independent use of the city by children. … They do not welcome children in all areas of the city with open arms, or project a message that says this is for you too. a
Children seek out natural play environments, and the younger they are, the more important such environments are to their development. Whether it be the backyard, neighborhood park, a natural area, or state park, these areas appear to provide important opportunities for experiences that can have positive developmental outcomes for children of all ages. One of those important outcomes is the opportunity to develop imagination using items found in the environment, such as rocks, twigs, flowers, and so forth. One researcher suggests that such opportunities to develop imagination results in high social and cognitive benefits. b In another study conducted with children in poor urban environments, when the family was relocated to areas with more nearby nature the children had higher levels of cognitive ability. c
The terms natural play and natural play environments have different connotations. Natural play environments are outdoor settings, or settings that primarily have not been manicured or prepared by individuals into a more formal park setting. Natural play, by contrast, is the process of children playing without intervention from adults, support devices such as playground equipment, and other external influences. Natural play is also called child-directed play. The importance of natural play, regardless of the setting, is its recognized contributions to social, emotional, cognitive, and physical well-being of children and youth. d
Think about the community you grew up in. What elements of that community inhibit children from playing in natural environments What elements foster this same sort of play