Race, Class and Leisure Activities of Urban Residents

Abstract

This 1981 study of a random sample of 750 urban residents in a Northern community investigated the relationship of race and class to participation in leisure activities. Utilizing Spearman's Coefficient of Rank Correlation, blacks and whites of different classes were compared to determine the degree of association between rankings of their participation in leisure activities. Chi-square analysis was utilized to determine whether blacks and whites of differing classes participated at a differential rate in 22 specific leisure categories. Contrary to what was expected, race seems to be more important than class in determining leisure participation. This was especially true for middle-class respondents.

KEYWORDS:

• Leisure
• race
• social class
• urban
• and community