The nature and variability of leisure constraints in daily life: The case of the physically active leisure of older adults

Abstract

Research on nonparticipation in leisure activities has focused on reasons and constraints that appear relatively stable or permanent over time and across behavioral contexts. This conceptualization of constraints is likely due to the use of survey methods that obscure the variable nature of constraints and to the greater importance accorded permanent constraints. A research method for monitoring the nature and variability of the leisure constraints people report for nonparticipation in their daily lives is described that is based on the experiential sampling method and a modification called the alternative activity probe technique. Constraints on the physically active leisure of older adults are examined with the use of this technique. There was corroboration of the time‐related constraints found by survey research and support for the idea that some constraints are transient and vary systematically as a function of the contexts of daily life. Future research possibilities and limitations of the method are discussed.

Keywords:

• Constraints
• nonparticipation
• physically active leisure
• experiential sampling method
• alternative activity probe technique
• variability‐stability