Sports, Creativity, and TV: Diverse Leisure Positively Impacts Psychological Well-Being
Life satisfaction is higher among those who engage in diverse leisure activities, researchers from HSE University have found. However, the specific types of activities people engage in are less important. The contribution of individual leisure activities to a sense of well-being accounts for no more than 2% of the variance. Only the diversity of leisure activities is significantly linked to overall life satisfaction and a sense of meaningful time usage.
The research findings are presented in the scientific digest ‘Personal Potential in Achieving Goals and Coping with Misfortunes’ prepared by the Human Capital Multidisciplinary Research Centre.
Researchers surveyed a representative sample of residents from four districts in the Tomsk region. The survey included both traditional direct questions and rapid scales for psychological diagnostics of indicators of positive personal functioning. The final database comprised 1,511 questionnaires and 187 variables, with respondents allowed to choose no more than three options per question.
The study revealed that respondents prefer ‘simple’ leisure activities, such as spending time with friends, going to the movies, taking walks, and visiting cafes. Organising such activities typically requires minimal effort. For instance, 54.8% of respondents enjoy visiting friends, 27.8% watch movies in theatres, and 15.4% dine out at restaurants.
Researchers noted that ‘complex’ leisure activities, such as attending lectures, museums, churches, or theatres, require a certain level of discipline and infrastructure, making them less popular. Only 7.7% of respondents reported going to the theatre, 6.7% to church, and 5.5% to museums.
Leisure choices are influenced by factors such as education, gender, age, and income level. Younger respondents living in cities with higher levels of education and income tend to have more varied leisure activities. In contrast, ‘simple’ leisure activities and non-creative hobbies are more common among men and individuals with lower levels of education.
Predictably, younger and wealthier respondents spend more time working. However, respondents from smaller towns and rural areas also report longer working hours. Researchers suggest this may be due to shift work in industrial enterprises or the absence of clear boundaries between work and personal time in rural settings.
Older respondents with lower levels of education living in cities spend more time watching television, while those in rural areas are more likely to engage in farming or animal care. Younger and educated urban residents are more likely to travel domestically and participate in sports.
The 11/2024 edition of the scientific digest ‘Personal Potential in Achieving Goals and Coping with Misfortunes’ features several studies exploring the role of internal resources in enhancing psychological well-being and quality of life. The digest was prepared by the Human Capital Multidisciplinary Research Centre with support from a grant provided by the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education. This and other editions of the digest are available here.