Conceptualizing Meaning-Making through Leisure Experiences

Abstract

There is a gap in knowledge concerning a full understanding of the meanings that people seek to obtain within or from leisure engagements. Understanding these meanings is a foundational knowledge in promoting, strengthening, and changing healthy leisure behavior in society, consequently the need to synthesize what is currently known and offer direction for research is necessary. This paper systematically explains the key meanings that people seek to achieve via leisure, based on a comprehensive literature review. This literature review led to the identification of several overarching leisure-generated meaning groups : (1) connection/belonging, (2) identity, (3) freedom/autonomy, (4) power/control, and (5) competence/mastery. The literature review also suggested that when people achieve these meanings, they frequently experience outcomes of : (a) positive emotions, (b) positive thought-action and (c) human growth and development. Each of these overarching meanings and outcomes is described, and implications for research are discussed.

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