Leisure & Sport in Society

Meaning & Scope

Terminology & Concepts

Introduction: Define the following terms …

Athletics vs Intramurals Leisure vs Recreation

Domains of Learning Physical Activity
Education Physical Culture
Exercise Science Physical Education
Games Physical Fitness
Health & Wellness Play
Health & Skill Related Quality of Life
Ideologies Recreation
Institutionalization Society
Kinesiology Sport
Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to …

o define / describe meanings of identified terms and
associated concepts
o use the terms appropriately in discussions & written
reports
The Study of …
Why do people study physical education, kinesiology, and sport?
◦ Personal development … think critically about

◦ Scholarly study … sports are socially significant activities

◦ Professional practice … sports reaffirm

Ideologies …
. . . interrelated ideas & beliefs people in a particular culture use
to give meaning to & make sense of what occurs in their social
worlds. (Coakley)
o a shared interpretive framework that people use to make
sense of an evaluate themselves, others & events in their
social worlds … reinforce or challenge. (Coakley)

Four ideologies which represent perspectives & ideas favored

by those with power & influence are …
o social class
o race
o gender
o ability
Characteristics of Ideologies …

o emerge in social worlds as people struggle over the meaning &

organization of social life
• dominant when representative of perspectives & ideas
favored by those who have power & influence in society …
serves their interests
• resist change

o are complex & sometimes inconsistent

o change … never established “once & for all time”

• change as power relationships change
 Sports are integrated into major
spheres of social life

Family Economy
Education Politics
Religion Media

Families & family schedules often are shaped by sport

involvement that sometimes interferes with family
relationships; sometimes creates enjoyable family time.
Characteristics cont’d …

Consider …
◦ Are people usually aware OR unaware of their own
ideologies?
◦ Do we simply take them for granted?
◦ Do people spot the ideologies of others quickly? If so, how?
EDUCATION …

 refers to the ongoing process of learning that occurs

throughout our lifespan …

 occurs in a variety of settings + not limited to a specific age

group (Lumpkin)

 an on-going process that occurs throughout our lifespan (Wuest /

Bucher)
LEARNING DOMAINS
Psychomotor: Manual or Physical Skills
o
o
o

Cognitive: Mental Skills … Knowledge

o
o
o

Affective: Feelings & Emotion … Attitude or Self

o
o
o
Physical Education is …

o an educational process … includes acquisition & refinement of

motor skills, development & maintenance of fitness for optimal
health & well-being, attainment of knowledge about physical
activities, and the fostering of positive attitudes conducive to
lifelong learning & lifespan participation (Walton-Fisette,
Wuest)
o a process through which an individual obtains optimal physical,
mental, social skills & fitness through physical activity
(Lumpkin)
o based mostly on a developmental model …
• use of carefully structured physical activity,
• contributes to development of the whole person
AIM = purpose or intent of what we do

• To optimize quality of life long-term commitment to

enjoyable physical activity & sport experiences that will meet
varied needs in a changing world
• To set aside daily a portion of the school day devoted to large
muscle activities that encourage & develop learning to move
& learning through movement (Gallahue & Cleland Donnelly)
◦ Learning to move = acquiring skills + enhancing
physical fitness via physical activity
◦ Learning through movement = effective programs
can + influence cognitive & affective development
SHAPE America’s Standards for PE

Goal of physical education is to develop physically

literate individuals who have knowledge, skills, and
confidence to enjoy a lifetime of healthful physical
activity.

National Standards for Physical Education are critical

in order for individuals to pursue a lifetime of healthful
physical activity.
A Physically Literate Individual …
1. demonstrates competency in a variety of motor skills &
movement patterns (required to participate in a variety
of physical activities).
2. applies knowledge of concepts, principles, strategies &
tactics related to movement & performance.
3. demonstrates the knowledge (including benefits of
involvement) & skills to achieve & maintain a health-
enhancing level of physical activity & fitness.
4. exhibits responsible personal & social behavior that
respects self and others.
5. recognizes the value of physical activity for health,
enjoyment, challenge, self-expression, and / or social
interaction.
2014 SHAPE America’s National PE Standards
Kinesiology is …

 considered a field … interdisciplinary

 an umbrella term used to encompass the sub-disciplines that
emerged from physical education in 1970s
 the scientific study of human movement (Lumpkin)
 the study of human motion, more specifically the study of how
the muscles move the bony structure of the body (D. Siedentop)
 most recently, used to describe the art and science of human
movement (Wuest / Bucher)
Exercise Science is …

 scientific analysis of the human body in motion

o encompasses exercise physiology, biomechanics,
kinesiology, anatomy, physiology, motor behavior & some
aspects of sports medicine (Lumpkin)
 the scientific analysis of exercise or, more inclusively, physical
activity.
 draws upon scientific methods & theories from many
disciplines such as biology, biochemistry, physics psychology
(Walton-Fisette, Wuest)
Sport …
o physical activities involving skill & strategy …
o involve challenges that affect outcomes … pleasure /
participation vs power / performance competitive …
• against an opponent or oneself
• motivated by internal and/or external rewards
o institutionalized … well established & highly organized …
governed by an accepted formal set of rules enforced by
governing bodies … standardized for fair play … to
determine a winner
o use specialized facilities or equipment
(Coakley; Lumpkin; Woods)
Common Sport Qualities …

 High degree of competitiveness … goal = to win

 Emphasis on materialism
 Pervasiveness of racism … attitudes & actions
 Pervasiveness of male dominance
 Domination of Individuals by bureaucracies
 Unequal distribution of power in organizations
 Use of conflict to change unequal power relationships
 Sport is not a sanctuary; deviance is found throughout sport
(Eitzen, Sage)
Sports, a Social Phenomena, are Social Constructions

 provide a window into a society & culture

 means sports are related to the social & cultural contexts in
which we live
o sports can take different forms & meanings from one
situation, culture, or point in time to the next.
o provide stories & images used to explain & evaluate
 sports are not static activities … they change as people &
circumstances change … social, political, economic
Sports are Contested Activities

This means that there are struggles over …

o the meaning, purpose & organization of sports
o who will participate
o conditions under which sport participation occurs
o how sports will be sponsored
o reasons for sponsorship
Levels of Sport
Informal Sport:
 Playful physical activity engaged in primarily for enjoyment
of participants
Organized Sport:
 Presence of rudimentary organization … formal teams,
leagues, codified rules & related organizations, existing for
benefit of players … fairness, scheduling, dispute resolution,
provision of opportunities, equipment, officials
Corporate Sport: big business … extension of power politics
 Elements of both informal & corporate sport
 Sport modified by economics & politics
Pseudo-sport: falls outside normal sports realm … WWE, Harlem
Globetrotters … not competitive; entertainment / amusement
Play vs. Dramatic Spectacle

Play is an expressive activity done for its own sake (and it results
in internal rewards).
Sports contain elements of play & dramatic spectacle, and
athletes are motivated by internal & external rewards.
Dramatic spectacle … a performance meant to entertain an
audience (for the sake of obtaining external rewards).
 Modern sports have seven characteristics
that have not appeared together in the past.
Pros & Cons of a Precise Definition of Sport

Pros: Cons:

 allows sport to be  privileges people with the

distinguished from other
activities
 provides a common focus for
people doing research and
developing theories
resources to organize
competitive games and the
interest in doing so
 overlooks those without
resources or inclinations to
compete
An Alternative Approach to Defining Sports …

 Determine what activities people identify as sports in a group

or society?

 Determine whose sports are mostly supported & funded,

especially with public facilities & money?
 The Great Sport Myth
Sport is essentially pure & good,
and its purity and goodness are transferred
to anyone who plays, consumes, or sponsors sports

THEREFORE,
There is no need to study and evaluate sports for the
purpose of transforming or making them better because
they are already what they should be
Controversies result when …

Evidence suggests changes are needed …

o organization of sports & organization of society
o impact control / status quo … threatened … may discredit
or ignore
Why study sports in society?
o
Athletics …

 are characterized by the qualities of sport

 are highly organized & structured competitions

among skilled individuals

 are part of interscholastic sports (high school),

intercollegiate athletics (colleges &
universities)
Intramurals …
Operate as school / campus wide recreational programs … vary
from traditional competitions to a variety of leisure-time events &
scheduled throughout the day & night
Include some or all of the following …
 Competitive leagues
 Coeducational recreation, club sports
 Faculty/staff programs
 Drop-in (free play) opportunities
Funding … movement away from receiving funds from Athletic
Departments & PE Departments to supported by students’ fees
… more typical of colleges/universities
Play … defining characteristic of humans is we are
playful and seek activities that are fun (Huizinga)

Is characterized by …
 Intrinsic motivation; Voluntary
 Temporary suspension of normal / typical reality & acceptance of
alternative realities
 Involves an internal locus of control … one has control
 Own boundaries of time / space according to fixed rules & in
orderly manner … no firm rules … constantly change …
outcome is unimportant
 Devoid of constraints … done for own sake
 Promotes formation of social groupings
 Pleasurable … associated elements include creativity,
exploration, curiosity, adventure, self-expression, spontaneity …
Games are …
… an aspect of play w/ more structure & competition
o characterized by …
 explicit rules & specified or understood goals
 element of opposition or contest … competition
 boundaries in time & sometimes space
 sequence of actions … essentially repeatable every time the
game is played
 outcome may be associated with prestige or status
 mental, physical or both (L.P. Ager)
Includes simple diversions (play), cooperative activities, rule-
governed contests, athletic competitions
Work …

o physical or mental effort to perform a task

o often connected to earning a living and compensation

o professional athletes work when they are paid to play sport

Types of Sport and Work
Amateur versus professional
◦ Amateurs play for the love of the game & as a hobby & play
just for participation or for engaging in the challenge.
◦ Professionals play for compensation (salary & possibly
scholarship) & they use sport to make a living or as a stepping
stone.
Recreational versus high-performance sport
◦ Recreational play is for fitness, enjoyment / fun and
socialization.
◦ High performance is aimed at developing skill to the highest
level + winning
Detailed Sport Pyramid
Play, Sport, Game or Work?

 Jogging  Weightlifting
 Fishing  Playing catch
 Skateboarding  Cheerleading
 Juggling  WWE wrestling
 Pickup basketball  Darts
 NFL football  Hiking
Health and Wellness …

• Are health and wellness the same?

• Broad terms often used interchangeably
• Health … now viewed holistically, as previously defined
• Wellness … gained popularity in 1990s … at a time when
health promotion efforts became more broadly focused
• Good health & wellness should lead to quantity and quality of
life.
Health …
 refers to the well-being of the body, mind & spirit &
encompasses the absence of disease or illness (Lumpkin)
 state of positive well-being associated with freedom from
disease or illness. Viewed as an optimal state of well-being …
wellness + possessing a high quality of life (Wuest / Bucher)
 state of complete physical, mental & social well-being, not
merely the absence of disease or infirmity (WHO)
 dynamic, ever-changing process of trying to achieve your
individual potential in the physical, social, emotional,
intellectual, spiritual, occupational & environmental
dimensions (Donatelle)
Wellness …
 an approach to living where individuals attempt to achieve
higher levels on a continuum of positive indicators reflective
of overall health (Angela M. Kolen)
 state of optimal health & well-being … living life to
fullest + striving to achieve potential
o assume personal responsibility
o + lifestyle choices reduce risk factors +
promote health
o multitude of forces interact to affect one’s health (Wuest /
Bucher)

 Achieve one’s individual potential in each the interrelated

dimensions (Donatelle)
Quality of Life …
 degree which an individual enjoys important possibilities of life
(Global Development Research Center)
 life = healthy, satisfying, meaningful & enjoyable
 overall sense of well-being associated w/ 3 major
 Life Domains … being, belonging & becoming
 viewed from a health-related perspective
 Sense of well-being (physical and mental) & satisfaction w/ ADL

viewed from non-health related perspective

 reflects individuals’ perceptions that contribute to the goodness &
meaning of life as well as happiness
ADL = Activities of Daily Living
Domains of Life …
1. Health: physical and mental
2. Material Well-being: house, clothes, car, income, savings
3. Productivity: employment & other paid work, school, vocations,
housework
4. Intimacy: social support … friends, partner, children, family
5. Safety: amount of privacy, degree of control over your life
(including financial and legal), level of physical safety one has
6. Community: place where one lives (neighborhood or where one
predominantly interacts with others
7. Emotional Well-being: leisure or recreation activities, including
those done for hobbies, for spiritual or religious reasons, or simply
for fun
(Cummins, 1996)
Physical Activity …

 is the cornerstone of physical education, exercise science and

sport
 large muscle movements that may include participation in
games, sports, work, daily activities of life & exercise (Lumpkin)
 any bodily movement produced by contraction of skeletal and
cardiac muscles that substantially increases energy
expenditure above the baseline level (Wuest / Bucher)
 examples …
CFLRI: Canadian Fitness & Lifestyle Research Institute
Based on 2013 data collected via Canadian Community Health
Survey …
 Percentage of Canadians, aged 20 +, considered active has
slightly … 49% in 2003 to 53% in 2013
o More men (55%) than women (51%) are active
o Pattern persisted since 2003
 2013, activity levels with age … 60% of 20 - 34 year olds
through to 48% of those 65 years plus
 Differences in activity levels exist by region
o Higher proportion of adults in BC were considered
active
o Pattern persisted since 2003
 Would these statistics be accurate today?

CFLRI Let’s Get Active! Bulletin 1: Physical activity levels of Canadians

 Physical Activity Levels: Children & Youth
 2014 - 2015 CAN PLAY data shows that 77% of Canadian
children, aged 5 - 19, participate in organized physical
activity & sport
o Compared to national average, no significant
regional differences; M more active than F
 Males & females equally as likely to participate in organized
physical activity & sport
 Participation does vary by age
o Relatively fewer 15 - 19 year olds participate in
organized physical activity & sport than children
younger than 15

CFLRI Kids CAN PLAY Bulletin 2: Participation in organized physical activity & sport
 Parent & Household Characteristics
 More children, whose parents are substantially more active
than their peers’ parents, participate in organized PA& sport
+
 Activity level with increasing education & household
income
o Children whose parents have a post-secondary
education are most likely to participate in organized
PA& sport
o Children living in higher income households ($80,000
/ yr. +) more likely to participate PA& sport than those
in lower income households (less than $30,000 / yr.)

CFLRI Kids CAN PLAY Bulletin 2: Participation in organized physical activity & sport
Physical Fitness …
 Individual
 body’s capacity to adapt & respond favorably to physical
effort … move more effectively & efficiently in meeting
physical demands (Lumpkin)
o ability to perform daily tasks with vigor & without undue
fatigue
o sufficient energy to engage in leisure-time pursuits
o meet unforeseen emergencies
 vitality to perform at one’s fullest capacity
 developed through endurance & resistive exercises of
sufficient frequency, duration, & intensity to enhance heart
& other bodily functions (Lumpkin)
Health-related Components include …
 Cardiovascular Endurance
 Strength
 Muscular Endurance
 Flexibility
 Body Composition

Skill or Performance-related Components include …

 Agility
 Coordination
 Speed
 Power
 Reaction Time
 Balance
Exercise …
o involves physical movement that increases the rate of energy
expenditure (Lumpkin)
o purpose = developing, improving, or maintaining physical
fitness (Wuest / Bucher + Lumpkin)
o is planned, structured & repetitive
o physical activity at higher-than-normal levels of exertion
(Donatelle)

o duration, intensity, frequency & mode of exercise can be

measured
Leisure …
 is the freedom from work or responsibilities, which may
or may not include physical activity.
 is any activity or state-of-mind experience that is freely
driven or happens spontaneously during work time,
obligation time and/or discretionary-time; is permissible
by the norms of society; is cultural-specific (meaning that
is derived according to the values, traditions or mores of
a specific way of life or lifestyle of a particular cultural
group(s) & society as a whole). (Karlis)
Leisure: Personal Experience & State of Being
 Founded in Greek philosophy (Athenian leisure … what was
their influence?)
 Leisure as a state of being …
o Activity performed for its own sake … perceived freedom in
activity selection w/o compulsion or extrinsic reward
o Potential to involve total individual ... intellectually,
spiritually, socially, culturally and artistically … reaching
state of self-actualization
o Where growth, creativity & learning occur
 “Leisure is an ideal state” … is an internal state or condition
that is self-defined + self-experienced by the individual
Recreation …
 refreshes or renews one’s strength & spirit after toil, again with
or without physical activity (Lumpkin)
 self-chosen activities providing a means of revitalizing &
refreshing body & spirit (West / Bucher)
 freely chosen activities … participated in a time free from all
obligations … end result = self-satisfaction … can be
structured, unstructured, based on cultural traditions or defined
by host culture as a part of recreation industry. (Karlis)
 through recreation, can learn to use leisure time constructively
… ways that are personally fulfilling … spectrum of activities
range from active to passive & individual or group + all ages
Concepts of …
As an Activity … experience defined by society as recreational …
activities are legal, enjoyable, active or passive & engaged in
during leisure time.
o Generally refers to structured activities with some form of
rules, i.e. sports activities
o Also includes activities with lenient or no structure such as
arts and crafts
o Encompasses provision of recreation services … public,
commercial, voluntary
o Reflect society
Concepts cont’d.
As a Personal Experience … extends beyond activity to include
state of being & a way of life; an experience or activity that is self-
defined & self-determined.
 An experience that is self-defined and self- determined …
tends to be pleasurable
 May be structured, have rules + defined by society as a
recreation activity … identification of experience as
recreation rests with personal experience of participant
 Relates to feelings of pleasure, freedom, satisfaction,
intrinsic motivation
Expansion of P. E., Exercise Science & Sport

Moved from the traditional school setting to …

• Community
• Home
• Worksite
• Commercial & Medical Settings
• Corporations