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Using mixed-methods, we examined the impact of theme type and coherence on visitors’ awareness of theme and experience value during and after visits to various hospitality and attraction venues. Fourteen informants and three researchers completed 172 visits. Team members experienced the offerings at each venue and reported their impressions of theme type, theme coherence, service performance, percent of time aware of theme, overall enjoyment, and proclivity to recommend. Narrative transportation theory informed our hypotheses: (a) theme coherence varies by theme type and the percent of time aware of theme increases with coherence of theme, and (b) experience value during- and after-use increase with the percent of time aware of theme and service performance. Results supported all hypotheses except one. Qualitative analysis revealed impacts of themes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine family communication within the core and balance model of family leisure functioning. The study was conducted from a youth perspective of family leisure and family functioning. The sample consisted of youth (N= 95) aged 11 - 17 from 25 different states in the United States. Path analyses indicated that family communication mediated a positive relationship between family leisure variables and family functioning variables. Implications and recommendations are discussed. The addition of communication in the Core and Balance Model is recommended.

This phenomenological study sought to identify the attributes of meaningful learning experiences as found in an outdoor education program. Thirteen students in the Wilderness Writing Program at Brigham Young University were the sample of this study. Their participation in outdoor recreational activities and their reflections about their experiences were analyzed. Through written journal entries, group discussions, observations, and writing assignments, a qualitative analysis identified attributes that occurred in their meaningful learning experiences. Meaningful learning was defined as a realization of a person's weaknesses, strengths, and potentials. This realization came through experiences with attributes of a degree of perceived risk, which led to a feeling of awkwardness, followed by a purifying process, or sublimation. A reflective period allowed for reconstruction of a person's view of himself or herself and this was closely tied with feedback from others in the group. (Contains 1 figure.)

We conducted an experiment to test theoretical propositions relating coherence, personalization, and provocation to in-situ engagement, deep experience, delight, and perceived value of time spent. Four hundred adults from a national panel viewed one of eight versions of a video centered on a character in Victor Hugo's classic novel Les Misérables, and then completed measures of engagement, deep experience, delight, perceived value of time spent, preexisting familiarity with the story, and the subjective experience of provocation. Each video represented a unique combination of presence or absence of the three hypothesized determinants: coherence, personalization, and provocation. Coherence, personalization, and preexisting familiarity with the story had significant effects on engagement. Provocation action increased engagement via its effect on the subjective experience of provocation. Engagement was a significant predictor of deep experience, and deep experience was a significant predictor of both delight and perceived value of time spent in the activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two studies collected quantitative and qualitative data from 24 families participating in an 8-hour outdoor adventure program and from 11 families in a residential family camping program. Findings demonstrate a strong positive relationship between structured outdoor family programming and family strength, and suggest that adventure activities typically used in family therapy are also effective in providing family enrichment experiences. (Contains 58 references.) (Author/SV)

In July 2009, Brigham Young University's Recreation Management (RecM) Department moved to the Marriott School of Management (MSM), beginning its integration into a nationally ranked business school, including the transition from a college with little coordination between departments to one where all majors share a common core of classes. Despite initial feelings of uncertainty, many insights over time emerged as to how the RecM department could better serve students and professionals. This paper shares some of the lessons the RecM Department learned that hold applicability for other recreation departments, including the (1) influence of names on external perceptions and curriculum, (2) value of a focused yet general curriculum, (3) utilization of an advisory board, (4) benefits of developing an on-campus networking conference, (5) redeployment of resources to engage more fully in student job placement, and (6) launch of an on-campus internship program.

The purpose of the study was to examine the leisure patterns of nonresident fathers while spending time with their child(ren), and to examine leisure constraints, leisure facilitators and nonresident fathers' [...]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between family of origin rituals and young adults' attachment style when controlling for parents' attachment style. The sample consisted of 222 paired young adults and one parent (representing 208 families) from 36 different states. Family of origin rituals were measured using the Family Ritual Questionnaire (FRQ) and attachment was measured using the Experiences in Close Relationships Revised (ECR-R) Questionnaire. Results indicated a negative relationship between family of origin ritual meaning and young adult attachment anxiety. Results also indicated that family of origin ritual meaning significantly predicted young adult anxiety after controlling for parent attachment. doi: 10.1300/J002v42n01_02 KEYWORDS. Attachment, family, family leisure, rituals, young adults

We developed a procedure for measuring 'deep structured experiences' based on a conceptualization of such experiences being binary (i.e. present or absent at a given moment) rather than continuous. Deep structured experiences are heightened states of attention and motivation that may occur during a distinct period of activity. This binary approach is consistent with definitions of similar concepts, such as Maslow's [1962. "Lessons from the Peak-Experiences." Journal of Humanistic Psychology 2 (1): 9-18] description of ecstasy, Csikszentmihalyi's [1975. Beyond Boredom and Anxiety. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass] description of flow, and Ackerman's [1999. Deep Play. New York: Vintage Books] description of deep play. Yet, researchers typically model a phenomenon that is continuous in nature, measured through summative scales. Our graphical approach is consistent with a binary conceptualization. Data support the validity of this binary approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We extend Duerden, Ward, and Freeman's [2015. "Conceptualizing Structured Experiences." Journal of Leisure Research 47 (5): 601-620] 'structured experience' framework by proposing a formal theory of structured experiences. The theory advances propositions about how leisure service providers may structure environments and interactions to facilitate specific subjective experiences for guests and participants. Following the Duerden, Ward, and Freeman (2015) paper, the theory of structured experience is an integration of literature from leisure studies, tourism, and marketing. Formal definitions are provided for four co-created subjective experiences: immersion, absorption, engagement, and deep structured experience. Propositions about specific strategies providers can use to facilitate these experiences and to promote perceived value, positive affective responses, and delight are also provided. The paper concludes with a discussion of select research topics that follow from the theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determine the purpose and function of recreational family storytelling across the life span from the perspective of parents and their adult children. Twelve individuals were interviewed (six parents paired with one of their adult children). Questions focused on ascertaining the purpose and function of storytelling from the perspectives of parents and children in the same family unit. In these families storytelling created opportunities for family bonding. Storytelling accomplished its purpose of creating family bonds through five functions: being fun, dealing with difficult topics or situations, transferring beliefs and values as well as giving listeners role models to emulate, offering the opportunity to take new perspectives, and purposefully initiating closeness between family members. The purpose and function of storytelling in the family appeared to change across the life span. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Despite over a century of recognition of the potential impact of recreation leadership on experiences and development of participants, few attempts have been made to integrate knowledge about human motivation, learning, and experience into specific strategies for "animating" activities (i.e., putting an activity into motion and sustaining the action over the course of the experience; Rossman, 1995). In response to the need for this integration, an experiment was conducted to determine the effects of different behavioral science based models of leading a recreation activity on pleasure, self-efficacy, ego-protective attributions, and creativity. The two models were the COMPLEX model (Ellis, Morris, & Trunnell, 1995) and a model proposed by Bishop and Jeanrenaud (1991), each of which specify a sequence of behaviors that leaders can use to create targeted outcomes. Participants consisted of 73 undergraduate university students, and the recreation activity context was storytelling. The activity was conducted under four conditions: (1) COMPLEX model, designed to elicit enjoyment (CE), (2) COMPLEX model, designed to elicit pleasure (CP), (3) Bishop and Jeanrenaud model, directed at facilitating creative production (CR), and, (4) Bishop and Jeanrenaud model, highly directive approach. The HD condition provided a baseline for comparing effects of the other treatments. Results showed that use of the CE, CP, and CR models promoted pleasure and self-efficacy level. Implications of these results for recreation leadership include the following: 1) Use novelty at the beginning of an activity to generate interest. 2) Increase participants' confidence in their ability to successfully participate in the activity by modeling the activity and pointing out that people who are much like them usually are successful. 3) Keep participants involved in the activity by increasing or decreasing the complexity of the activity (change rules, add or delete ingredients, reformulate teams, etc.). 4) During the course of the activity, use verbal persuasion messages that are personalized (e.g., "You are good at this!") rather than ambiguous (e.g., "Nice job!"). 5) Feedback during the course of the activity that encourages divergent thinking can be used to promote pleasure and self-efficacy (e.g., "What are some other ways of doing this?"). 6) If your intent is to help individuals learn about themselves through an activity, consider edifying the activity through processing. During or after the activity (as appropriate), you might ask such questions as "What is the most important thing you learned about yourself while doing this activity?" or "Before we started this activity, did you expect to be successful? Why or why not?" [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]