Abstract
The increase in leisure time over the last century is well documented. We know much less, however, about the quality of the
use of leisure time. Quite divergent predictions exist in this regard: Some authors have argued that the new, extensive free
time will lead to new forms of time pressure and stress; others have foreseen an expansion of boredom. This is the first paper
that systematically investigates the quality of leisure time in 36 countries around the world. It uses the 2007 ISSP-survey
“Leisure Time and Sport”. We investigate stress and boredom during leisure time by making use of four general theories about international and intercultural
differences. The theories relate to the level of socio-economic development, religious–cultural systems, types of welfare
states, and to the emergence of specific “time regimes”. In addition, we control for the effect of relevant individual level
variables. At the macro level, significant differences emerge concerning the level of development, the dominant religion,
and the extent of welfare benefits. The most interesting finding, however, was that a typology of leisure time regimes is
the most suited to explain the considerable differences between the 36 countries compared. Implications of this finding for
time policy and further research are discussed in the concluding section.
use of leisure time. Quite divergent predictions exist in this regard: Some authors have argued that the new, extensive free
time will lead to new forms of time pressure and stress; others have foreseen an expansion of boredom. This is the first paper
that systematically investigates the quality of leisure time in 36 countries around the world. It uses the 2007 ISSP-survey
“Leisure Time and Sport”. We investigate stress and boredom during leisure time by making use of four general theories about international and intercultural
differences. The theories relate to the level of socio-economic development, religious–cultural systems, types of welfare
states, and to the emergence of specific “time regimes”. In addition, we control for the effect of relevant individual level
variables. At the macro level, significant differences emerge concerning the level of development, the dominant religion,
and the extent of welfare benefits. The most interesting finding, however, was that a typology of leisure time regimes is
the most suited to explain the considerable differences between the 36 countries compared. Implications of this finding for
time policy and further research are discussed in the concluding section.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-32
- DOI 10.1007/s11205-012-0023-y
- Authors
- Max Haller, Department of Sociology, Karl Franzens-University, Universitaetsstrasse 15, 8010 Graz, Austria
- Markus Hadler, Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology, Marshall University, Huntington, WV 25755-2678, USA
- Gerd Kaup, Department of Sociology, Karl Franzens-University, Universitaetsstrasse 15, 8010 Graz, Austria
- Journal Social Indicators Research
- Online ISSN 1573-0921
- Print ISSN 0303-8300