Examining Relationships Among Perceptions of Self, Episode-Specific Evaluations, and Overall Satisfaction with a Leisure Activity

Abstract

Many researchers have investigated leisure experience as a process that includes interactions with others and the environment. Interactions during leisure are known to influence the experience. Based on this tradition, the purpose of this study was to investigate how emotions might relate to interactions that an individual has during leisure experience and to examine the relationships among emotions, episode-specific evaluations, and overall satisfaction. A research model was suggested based on Affect Control Theory, the confirmation/disconfirmation paradigm, Mehrabian and Russell's 1974 approach-avoidance concept, and the sub-domain dependency theory of leisure satisfaction. Findings from analyses of experiences suggested that linkages existed among confirmation of self-identity (a goal), resulting emotions, episode-specific evaluations, and finally to overall satisfaction with a leisure activity.

Keywords:

• self-identity
• confirmation/disconfirmation
• emotions
• episode-specific evaluations
• leisure satisfaction
• Affect Control Theory

Notes

^a Based on 5 point Likert-type scale (1: not at all, 5: very much).

^*Statistically significant at α = .01.

^**Statistically significant at α = .01.

^a Three respondents did not respond to the dependent variable.