The purpose of this case study was to investigate the association between religious doctrine and perceived sinful nature of 10 leisure activities identified by the congregation under study. A questionnaire was completed by 188 congregants of a predominately African American, Protestant church located in southern Ohio and results indicated a significant association between the source of belief — personal beliefs, scripture, and religious doctrine — and the belief that certain leisure pastimes are sinful. Results of the study suggest: (1) religious doctrine influences beliefs about the sanctity of leisure activities at the individual and congregational levels; (2) personal beliefs are the greatest determinant of perceived sin associated with select leisure pursuits; and (3) length of membership in a congregation influences beliefs about leisure.
 

The purpose of this research was to examine the outcomes prompting hiking along the Appalachian Trail (AT). By using means-end theory, linkages between attributes, consequences, and values of the AT hiking experience were made. The researchers conducted forty-three interviews of AT hikers. Self-fulfillment, self-reliance, fun and enjoyment of life, and warm relationships with others were some of the values that emerged. Specifically, strong links existed between hiking and exercise, exercise and health, health and fun and enjoyment of life. While this area of research on the AT is new, results of this study can be used by recreational professionals that work with the AT or other hiking trails to promote appropriate use of natural resources.
 

Competitive and aggressive sports provide recreational sport contexts for youth and adolescents across the globe. One of the most popular recreational sports worldwide is martial arts, a sport characterized as aggressive yet backed in the traditional form of the sport by a principled philosophy. The researchers engaged in naturalistic inquiry through full participant observation in a traditional martial arts club. The purpose of the research was to closely examine the teaching of traditional martial arts to determine whether lessons could be derived for competitive and aggressive sports like American football. Philosophical and psychological themes emerged from the research, including a counterbalanced ethic of nonviolence and restraint and achievement orientations reflective of the researchers’ sport backgrounds, respectively.
 

Board member competency: A Q methodology approach
Amy R. Hurd, Brent A. Beggs, and Paul Fokken

The purpose of this study was to use developed competencies to examine their importance to current public parks and recreation board members. This was done using Q methodology to determine profiles of public parks and recreation board members and the perceived value they assigned to specific competencies. A principle components analysis was used to factor analyze an 11 x 11 Q sort matrix. The results indicated there are three types of board members including the participatory, community representative, and conceptual nonpolitical. These three types had similarities and differences that demonstrated a better understanding of what competencies are important for board members to function efficiently and effectively.
 

Parks have long been sites for sexual activity, deviant behaviour, violence, and prostitution (Flowers, Hart, & Marriot, 1999; Humphreys, 1970; Mitchell, 1995). Yet leisure researchers have tended to leave these less socially acceptable activities unexamined, focusing their analyses instead on the “benefits” of leisure (Glover, 2003; Rojek, 1999, 2000). This research aims to deviate from the “benefits approach” to leisure studies by conceptualizing prostitution as leisure. The need for "safe parks" for sex workers in Canada is advocated using a feminist, leisure studies, harm reduction framework. Exploring prostitution through a leisure studies lens can transform not only our conceptualization of sex work, but our conceptualization of recreation, leisure, and parks as well.
 

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships between wisdom and values within a service-learning environment and to determine the effects such an experience can have on one’s growth in values and wisdom. The sample consisted of 115 high-school students, ages 14-19, who attended a 9-day service learning trip. Pearson correlations and linear regression analyses were utilized to determine the relationship between wisdom, values, and personal items. Paired t-tests were used to determine the effects of the program on wisdom and values. Wisdom was found to be significantly correlated to pro-social values on the pre-trip measurements. Significant increases were reported for all three wisdom domains and for pro-social values as a result of trip participation.
 

Challenge courses have become increasingly popular in recent years. Many groups are turning to half-day challenge courses due to time and financial constraints. Yet, few studies have quantified the benefits of a half-day course. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of participation in a four-hour challenge course on leadership efficacy and work efficacy of college students. Pretest, posttest, and follow-up questionnaires were utilized. T-test analyses found that participating in a challenge course has a significant positive effect on increasing one’s leadership and work efficacy from pretest to posttest, after participation in a four-hour challenge course. This research also demonstrates that increased levels of the participants’ self-efficacy remained six weeks after the completion of the challenge course.
 

A model of experiential andragogy: Development of a non-traditional experiential learning program model
Teresa O'Bannon and Cara McFadden

John Dewey, David Kolb, and others have developed theories, philosophies, and principles that explain the concept of experiential learning. However, most literature on the topic focuses on traditional classroom education. A gap in the literature on the topic of adult non-traditional experiential learning showed a need for a theoretical review of theories, philosophies, and principles that lend themselves to the development of a new model. The Experiential Andragogy model presented here was developed for practical use in non-traditional experiential learning settings, particularly in programs designed for adult learners.