Cribbage culture and social worlds: An analysis of closeness, inclusiveness, and specialization

Abstract

Recreation specialization through the lenses of social worlds is a common approach used to describe how people define and are defined by recreation activities. This ethnographic study investigates the social worlds of cribbage players. The study analyzes cultural structures through the lenses of closeness, inclusiveness, and recreation specialization. Using survey questionnaires, informal interviews, and researcher observations, data were collected at cribbage events over a period of 3 years. Findings reveal a distinct cribbage culture characterized by varying levels of commitment, specialization, and degrees of connectedness. The study contributes to the currently limited literature on social worlds and indoor recreation specialization. It provides insight as to how people align at a community level to find meaning via recreational activities. Data also reveals a lack of social diversity in the cribbage community. Findings could be used in leisure programming for diversity and inclusion at community and grassroots levels.

Keywords:

• Cribbage
• social worlds
• recreation specialization
• ethnography
• inclusion

Acknowledgments

The first author would like to sincerely thank the following for their friendship, inspiration, and enduring support over the entire study period: Suzanne Mwengi, Ty Mwengi, Roy Hohn, Keith Miller, Wilbur Paul, Jeff Shimp, Sue Edwards, George Rassmussen, and Sally Henderson.

Ethical statement

Ethics (human subjects) approval for this study was received from Missouri State University Review Board, Certificate Number: IRB-FY2018-195.