A place for visual research methods in the field of leisure studies? Evidence from two studies of older adults’ active leisure

Abstract

Few researchers have explored perceptions of the local environment as a potential precursor to older adults’ active leisure participation; fewer still have employed visual research methods as a tool for examining the modalities of environmental influences on leisure behaviour. This article introduces leisure researchers to the visual research techniques of Q method with photographs and photovoice and highlights the opportunities and challenges resulting from the use of visual techniques with populations of older adults. Data obtained in two visual research studies undertaken in 2008 and 2011 reveal the importance of home and local environment as a nexus for leisure participation and identify conditions that may facilitate activity participation in later life. Environmental conditions that are particularly significant in the case of older adults include the home garden, natural and aesthetically pleasing settings, the local social network and functional neighbourhood facilities. Visual research methods were used to generate these findings. Such research methods provide rich and nuanced data in studies concerning environment-behaviour interactions, which may be difficult to attain using conventional research methods.

之前的几篇研究已经探索了环境对于老年人休闲活动的潜在预测力；少数有运用视觉方法作为研究工具对环境对休闲行为的影响进行了检测。本文介绍了休闲研究者运用Q 方法的视觉技术，使用照片和有声影像来突出了使用视觉技术对于老年人群体的机遇和挑战。在2008年和2011年进行的视觉调查研究获得的两种数据揭示了家庭和当地环境作为一个承上启下的休闲参与的重要性， 并确定可能有利于在以后活动参与的条件。环境条件对于中老年人的案例尤其显著，包括家庭花园，自然，美观的设置，当地的社会网络和居委会功能设施。可视化的研究方法被用来产生这些结果。这样的研究方法为环境和行为的相互作用研究提供了丰富而细致入微的数据，这可能是难以使用传统的研究方法所实现的。

Keywords:

• Q method
• photovoice
• older adults
• active leisure
• environment
• visual research methods

关键词:

• Q方法
• 有声影像
• 老年人
• 活跃休闲者
• 环境
• 可视化调查方法

Notes

1. Assuming a retirement age of 65 years.

2. Small geographic units used for government administration.

3. Photovoice participants gave consent for the publication of returned images and written consent was obtained from all photographic subjects.