THE MEASUREMENT OF LEISURE: A QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUE

Abstract

If leisure is seen as a significant aspect of the overall quality of life, it is important to develop a technique for measuring leisure which takes into account the essential subjective nature of the leisure experience. In this paper data are presented which illustrate the problems associated with activity-type operational definitions of leisure. Such definitions are seen to ignore individual and situational differences and to assume that leisure can be measured objectively. An alternative technique for defining and measuring leisure is proposed based on empirical research which shows perceived freedom of choice, enjoyment and other perceptual dimensions to be closely associated with the leisure experience. This proposed technique requires further testing on different population groups, but it potentially represents a method of measuring leisure which is both reliable and valid.