Social Participation, Flow and Situational Involvement in Recreational Physical Activity

Abstract

Social factors and the concepts of flow and situational involvement have all been found to be influential in shaping leisure behavior. The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of different co-participants during recreational physical activity episodes, along with participants' feelings of flow and situational involvement during recreational physical activity when alone and with different co-participants. Over one-third of the 2053 episodes reported by the 365 adult participants in their log booklets occurred alone, whereas spouse/partner, children, and friends were other common co-participants. Episodes engaged in with someone else were more often characterized by anxiety, boredom, and apathy, but higher levels of situational involvement. Both the prevalence of flow categories and levels of situational involvement differed across types of co-participants, with participation alongside an activity-related club or group characterized by the most positive ratings of both feelings. Finally, higher levels of situational involvement were experienced during flow-like episodes. Implications for both researching and promoting physical activity are discussed.

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