Propositions for testing social exchange theory in the context of ceasing leisure participation

Abstract

The issue of ceasing participation in leisure activities has gained increasing attention in the literature over the past decade as a natural consequence of the increased interest in constraints on leisure, but the research done in this area and in the broader area of constraints has largely been atheoretical. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate the application of social exchange theory to understanding the decision‐making process surrounding an individual ‘s intention to continue or to cease participation in organized leisure pursuits. The theory is briefly presented and subsequently elaborated on to explain how the phenomenon of ceasing leisure participation may be better understood through its central tenets. Furthermore, a revised version of the Jackson and Dunn (1988) model is presented, based on social exchange theory.

Keywords:

• Social exchange theory
• ceasing participation
• leisure
• constraints