Life course changes and competing leisure interests as obstacles to boating specialization

Abstract

Research has shown that most boaters do not follow a specialization trajectory resembling a progression from novice to expert. This paper asks what kept people from becoming boating specialists. A life course analysis was used to explore the relationship between changes in boating specialization and life course events (e.g., family changes, career changes, health issues, and new leisure interests). Marriage had a uniformly negative effect on five specialization indicators. Changes in finances, retirement, and illness had selective effects. Although cause-and-effect constraints of life course disruptions were modest, developing other leisure interests had a strong negative influence on specialization, indicating a natural process of attrition occurred from boating over time. Future specialization studies should model processes of progression and retrogression in the research designs.

Keywords

change; leisure careers; life course; panel studies; specialization

Published in

Leisure Sciences
2008, volume: 30, number: 2, pages: 143-157
Publisher: TAYLOR & FRANCIS INC

SLU Authors

• Heberlein, Thomas

  • Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    
  • University of Wisconsin-Madison

UKÄ Subject classification

Work Sciences

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01490400701881382

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/78148