Transcript chapter ??

Basic Concepts
Objectives
• Define play, recreation, and leisure as three distinct
terms.
• Compare and contrast play, recreation, and leisure
as three distinct behaviors.
• Provide an overview of the early theories related to
play.
• Discuss the role of play in childhood development.
What is Play?
• We can…
– Go to or act in a play….
– Play a musical instrument….
– Play a game….
– Play a prank….
– Play dumb….
– Play the stock market….
– Play with someone’s mind…..
– Play havoc with the state of affairs….
– Play teacher, cowboys and Indians….
Elements of Play?
• Children
• aimless, casual,
disorganized
• spontaneous,
uninhibited, joyful
• simple
• fun, frolic, frivolous
• non-serious
• Adults
•
•
•
•
•
highly structured
more constrained
complex rules
serious
risk and intense
commitment
The Meaning of Play
Historical Perspectives
 Greece - valuable role in the lives of children
 Catholic Church - play becomes regarded as a social threat
• Body thought to detract from spiritual values
• Effort to curb pleasure pursuits
 Educators and philosophers defend play
 Important aspect of childhood education
Early Theories of Play
Surplus Energy Theory - Herbert Spencer
 Play motivated by the need to burn up excess energy
 Play as an imitation of adult activities
 “predatory instincts”
 Predatory instincts
Recreation Theory - Maurice Lazarus
 Play was to conserve or restore energy
 Distinguished between mental and physical energy
 Change in activity (physical exercise) can restore one’s
nervous energy
 Emphasis on physical exercise
 Desk clerk who plays tennis
Early Theories of Play (cont’d)
Instinct-Practice Theory - Karl Groos
 Play helped animals survive by enabling them to practice skills for adult life
 The role of protected infancy and childhood for play and the development of
adult skills
Catharsis Theory - Harvey Carr
 Theory based upon Greek philosophy
 View that play serves as a safety valve for bottled up emotions
 What did Aristotle think about this?
 Play provides an acceptable channel for expression of aggression or hostility
 Based on Carr’s view….what does he think of organized play?
 What does this do for society?
 Give an example of how organized play has been used recently?
20th Century Concepts of Play
Self-Expression Theory - Mitchell and Mason
 Play as a need for self-expression
 Specific types of activity are influenced by
• Physiology
• Anatomy
• Fitness level
• Environment
• Family and social background
20th Century Concepts of Play (cont’d)
Self-Expression Theory (Continued)
 Certain universal wishes shape attitudes and habits
• Wish for new experience
• Wish for participation in a group enterprise
• Wish for security
• Wish for response and recognition
• Wish for the aesthetic
20th Century Concepts of Play (cont’d)
Play as a Social Necessity - Joseph Lee
 Play as a force in child development and community
life
 Play contributed to wholesome development of
character through lessons of:
• Discipline
• Sacrifice
• Morality
• Why is Joseph Lee important to us?
– He is the “Father of the ‘Playground
Movement’”
20th Century Concepts of Play (cont’d)
Play as a Social Necessity (Continued)
 Vital element of community life
 Useful form of manual training
• Coordinated bodily functions
• Promoted health
• Prepared children for indoor confinement of
schools and factory life
20th Century Concepts of Play (cont’d)
Play element in culture - Johan Huizinga
• Play pervades all of life, with its own ethical
value
• War as play
– High risk sports: hang gliding, ultimate fighting
• Play in the business world
– Development of new technology, advertising
strategies
– Investment game….is gambling
Psychological Analysis of Play
Play in personality development (Lawrence Frank)
 Play provides an opportunity for children to learn about the
world
Psychoanalytical perspectives on play (Sigmund Freud)
 Method to gain control and competence…and resolve
conflicts
 Play represents the child's way of dealing with reality
 Role of play in treatment and education
Psychological Analysis of Play (cont’d)
Competence-Effectance Theory
 Cziksentmihalyi's "Flow" principle
Play as a process of matching skill to task
Activity :
(Please use the subject of “play theory”)
• Select a play theory you find to be most
meaningful to you and explain why.
Csikszentmihalyi saw optimal activities in the "flow"
channel moving outward as skills are gained, and
certainly before apathy sets in - clearly this parallels
Vygotsky's theory of proximal development in learning
situations.
Here Csikszentmihalyi summarized the results of his
empirical research in terms of the main feelings
reported for the various combinations of skills and
challenge in the various activities undertaken.
How does it feel to be in "the flow"?
•
Completely involved, focused, concentrating - with this either due to innate
curiosity or as the result of training
•
Sense of ecstasy - of being outside everyday reality
•
Great inner clarity - knowing what needs to be done and how well it is going
•
Knowing the activity is doable - that the skills are adequate, and neither
anxious or bored
•
Sense of serenity - no worries about self, feeling of growing beyond the
boundaries of ego - afterwards feeling of transcending ego in ways not thought
possible
•
Timeliness - thoroughly focused on present, don't notice time passing
•
Intrinsic motivation - whatever produces "flow" becomes its own reward
Playground Discussion:
Think of a vivid memory of an optimal
experience. Describe it and tell why you
believe it was an optimal experience for you.
Were you in a “flow” state of mind?
Play Defined
• A form of human or animal activity or behavioral style that
is self-motivated and carried on for intrinsic, rather than
external, purposes.
– Generally pleasurable
– Often marked by elements of
•
•
•
•
•
competition
Humor
Creative exploration
Problem solving
Mimicry or role playing
– Most often appears in leisure but CAN be found in work!
– Typically marked by freedom and lack of structure BUT,
• May involve rules and prescribed actions (sports and games).
The Meaning of Leisure (6 views)
Classical Value
 Activity performed for its own sake - Aristotle
 Problems with classical view:
 Linked to the idea of an aristocratic class structure
 Today: Leisure must be available to ALL!!!!
 Work and leisure were totally opposite
 Today: Leisure must exist side by side with work that is respected in
our society
The Meaning of Leisure (cont’d)
Leisure as a Symbol of Social Class – Veblen
 Historically, one’s wealth was identified through their possessions and
leisure
 Theory of the Leisure Class
 Possession and visible us of leisure = “hallmark of the upper class”
 Attacked “idle rich”
 Coined the phrase “conspicuous consumption” to describe their way of life
 Is this theory plausible today?
 Maybe not, why?
 Maybe yes, why?
The Meaning of Leisure (cont’d)
Leisure as Unobligated Time
Most common approach to to leisure
– unobligated or discretionary time!
 Time free from work or work-related responsibilities
 Excludes time devoted to essential life-maintenance activities
 Built-in problems with this approach?
 Is one ever totally free from obligation?
 Is all leisure solely intrinsic?
 Semi-leisure declining to “anti-leisure” concepts
 The role of concept of obligation
The Meaning of Leisure (cont’d)
Leisure as Activity - Berger
 Leisure closely related to recreation and activity
 J.B. Nash said leisure is “doing something”
 Why might “leisure as an activity” be problematic?
 Makes little allowance for low-activity leisure pursuits
 Feminists claim some women’s lives can not be categorized in a work/leisure dichotomy
 Does not account for individual perceptions about particular activities
Leisure as a State of Being Marked by Freedom (state of mind)
 Perceived freedom of the activity
 Leisure as promoting personal fulfillment and self-enrichment
 Leisure as part of a holistic lifestyle
The Meaning of Leisure (cont’d)
Leisure as Spiritual Expression
 Leisure as uplifting the human experience
 Emphasis on the link between leisure and religion
 Modern society makes it difficult to pursue spiritual expression through
leisure
The Meaning of Leisure (cont’d)
Leisure Seen in Relation to Work
 Compensatory Theory of Leisure
 Leisure is opposite of work
 Spillover Theory of Leisure
 Leisure is an extension of work
 Note Russell's 3 perspectives of work and leisure
 Pessimistic
 View work in negative light and leisure is needed to counter problems associated with work
 Neutral
 View leisure and work as separate life domains that may or may not be related
 Optimistic
 Personal satisfaction with work and leisure is required for a healthy existence
The Meaning of Leisure (cont’d)
Leisure Defined:
 Portion of time not directly connected to work or work
responsibilities
 Implies freedom and choice
 Used to meet one's need for reflection, self-enrichment,
relaxation, or pleasure
 May be regarded as a holistic state of being and/or
spiritual experience
The Meaning of Recreation
Recreation represents a fusion
between play and leisure
Recreation - that which refreshes or
restores
Holds the potential for being pleasant,
rewarding, and creative
Image courtesy of the author.
Three Common Treads of Leisure:
Contemporary Definitions
• Leisure as Free Time
• Leisure as a Recreational Activity
• Leisure as an Attitude
Leisure as Free Time
• Time free from obligations
• Leftover time apart from work….
• Quantifiable
• Time not needed for productivity
Leisure as a Recreational Activity
• Participation based
• Doing something or some activity
• Non-work activity
• Sports, hobbies, dance, travel….
• Freely chosen and benefits the
participant (Kelly)
Leisure as an Attitude
• A state of mind
• Way of life
• A philosophy about living
• An entire way of being
• Psychological condition
Group Activity
(Please use the subject of Leisure definition)
• Which contemporary definition of leisure fits
you best and why in your assigned group area.
– Leisure as Free Time
– Leisure as a Recreational Activity
– Leisure as an Attitude
Participation & Motives in Recreation
• Participation
– Generally recreation is voluntary, but this is not always the case. Why?
• Motives
– Generally most definitions stress recreation should be conducted for
personal enjoyment or pleasure.
• Why might is not always be the case?
– Why do we participate (motivates)?
•
•
•
•
•
Socializing behaviors
Associative behaviors
Competitive behaviors
Risk-taking behaviors
Exploratory behaviors
•
•
•
•
•
•
Vicarious experience
Sensory stimulation
Physical involvement for its own sake
Creativity
Intellectual
volunteerism
Contemporary Definitions
Recreation as an Emotional State
 Recreation perceived as the outcome of participation – “peek
experience in self-satisfaction” Gray and Greben
 Depth of involvement
Social Acceptability
 Must recreation be wholesome, healthful, or beneficial?
 Examples of some that may not be???
 Determination of social value often subjective
 Social context must be considered and applied
Contemporary Definitions (cont’d)
Recreation as a Social Institution
 Recreation as a social construct
 Influence of traditions, values, channels of communication, formal
relationships, and institutional aspects
 Leisure as contributing to "social capital“
 Role of recreation in community development
 Leisure opportunity and "social justice"
Contemporary Definitions (cont’d)
Recreation Defined
 Human activities or experiences that occur during leisure time
 Usually voluntary
 Often selected for intrinsic pleasure
 May involve a degree of compulsion, extrinsic purpose and
discomfort, pain, and/or anger
 Should be socially constructive and morally acceptable in
terms of prevailing community standards and values