Leisure as a Primary Institution

Abstract

The authors argue that leisure should be considered a primary institution in advanced industrial societies. The increasingly organized nature of contemporary leisure and the prominence of leisure activities in the search for communal bonds are viewed as the primary factors contributing to the emergence of leisure as a major social institution.

Reassessing the Structure of Enduring Leisure Involvement

“…While our data did not provide evidence in support of this proposition (i.e., identity affirmation's nonsignificant effect), other authors have argued that the symbolic value of leisure activities has a significant influence on the selection of activities (e.g., Bourdieu, 1977Bourdieu, , 1984Dimanche & Samdahl, 1994;Frey & Dickens, 1990;Rojek, 1990;Urry, 1990;Veblen, 1899). Veblen (1899) asserted that leisure consumption has symbolic meanings which people use to reflect their association with a certain social class.…”

Commodification and Resistance: Theoretical Implications Drawn from a Mobile Recreational Community

“…Specifically, riders should blindly adhere to the values and commodities marketed to them, and they should derive a sense of pseudo-individualism from participating in the culture and should be alienated. Other research has found the theory to be overly deterministic and suggests that recreational pursuits can be an important source of community and personal fulfillment, and our results were no different (e.g., Frey and Dickens 1990; Rosenbaum 2013; Comer 2011).…”

The Influence of Sign Value on Travel-Related Information Search

“…Based on this conceptual perspective of symbolic meaning, people who are conscious of self-reflection in consuming products tend to affiliate more closely with groups that they perceive share similar values or belong to their social class (Hirschman, 1981). This is true within a leisure context (Dimanche & Samdahl, 1994;Frey & Dickens, 1990;Rojek, 1990). For example, there are individuals who would never stay overnight at an economy class hotel because it is "beneath them."…”