Abstract

Stebbins’s concept of serious leisure has been widely used to delineate and describe an intense form of leisure participation. To date, however, the causal relationships among the six distinguishing characteristics of serious leisure have not been sufficiently substantiated and empirically examined. Guided by identity theory, this study developed a causal model among four individual level behavioral and psychological characteristics of serious leisure and level of commitment. Data were collected via mail surveys from members of the American Birding Association (N = 954). Results of structural equation modeling indicated that: (a) durable benefits positively affected commitment, identity, perseverance, and effort; (b) commitment positively influenced perseverance and effort; and (c) identity positively affected perseverance and effort. Results provide evidence that identity and commitment play mediating roles between durable benefits and other facets of serious leisure experience (i.e., perseverance, effort). These findings highlight the pivotal role of durable benefits in serious leisure participation.

摘要

斯特宾斯的严肃休闲概念已被广泛用于描绘和描述一种强烈的休闲参与形式。然而，迄今为止，严肃休闲的六个显着特征之间的因果关系尚未得到充分证实和实证检验。本研究以身份理论为指导，在严重休闲和承诺水平的四个个体层面行为和心理特征之间建立了因果模型。数据是通过美国观鸟协会 ( N  = 954)成员的邮件调查收集的。结构方程模型的结果表明： ( a ) 持久利益对承诺、认同、毅力和努力产生积极影响；(乙) 承诺积极影响毅力和努力；( c ) 身份积极影响毅力和努力。结果提供的证据表明，身份和承诺在持久利益和严肃休闲体验的其他方面（即毅力、努力）之间起着中介作用。这些发现突出了持久利益在认真休闲参与中的关键作用。