California State University, Sacramento
College of Health and Human Services
Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies

RLS 122 – Perspectives on Leisure

Assignment 4 – Challenge Experience/Leisure Motivations Paper
50 points (6% of course grade)

Due:  April 30 in class or by May 2 at 11:55 p.m. only when uploaded to the course WebCT site.  

This paper is about two things.  First, you’ll be exploring what your primary motivations are that compel you into leisure experiences.  The other part relates to the ropes course experience.  The ropes course often has lasting effects on participants as individuals, while some it doesn’t seem to affect very strongly.  The written requirement for this assignment will be like the others in this course, in that you will be required to do a great deal of self exploration.

For the assignment, you’ll need to turn in the following:

  Two completed Leisure Motivations Assessments (LMAs)
	 LMA #1 Completed in class—be sure to see Dr. Rolloff if you missed this class session.  
	 LMA #2 Due with summary paper.  
  A 700 word summary paper 

These are described below. 

Part I:  Your Leisure Motivation Assessments
The LMA format used for this assignment is just one example of the various types of LMAs used to help people evaluate their leisure motivations.  This can be helpful in determining what interests you most in activities, and it may help you select more fulfilling activities that match your motivations more directly. 
•	First, the LMA #1 will be completed in class, and will ask you about what motivates you toward leisure activities in general, and to what motivates you when participating in your favorite leisure activity. 
•	Second, complete LMA #2 after you have attended the ropes course.  Be sure to include the categorical analysis of your leisure motivations using the Meanings and Factors form.  Make a note of which motivations, if any, have been impacted or have changed as a result of attending the Ropes course.  For those of you with very adventurous leisure lives, you may not notice many changes. However, many of you will see many new motivations or insights after the Ropes course. 

Part II: The Write-up (700 words)  
The paper format is relatively open, but should utilize insights you gained from the ropes course experience, as well as your individual LMA results (pre- and post-ropes course).  While you can discuss the actual events of the ropes course day, don’t spend a lot of time summarizing.  Primarily, focus on challenges and risks that you set for yourself and what you accomplished.  In the end, the ropes course experience and leisure motivations are very connected, so be sure to integrate the reflective nature of the LMAs and the experiential nature of the ropes course.  Either way, make it very clear in the introduction of the paper what you intend to discuss.  Then make sure you actually discuss what you indicated. 

The Leisure Motivation Assessment: Qualities of Your Leisure Experiences

This activity is all about getting you to take a look at what means the most to you in your life.  It can be equally important to see what means the most to you in your leisure.  This is time when you often have more choices about what you do.  In this exercise, you will prioritize the qualities of leisure experience which are an important part of your leisure time.  

Work your way through the following list of qualities associated with leisure time.  As you review each characteristic, rate its importance on the 5-point scale. Note that at the end there are open-ended options if you would like to create your own.  

Categorical analysis of your assessment

After you have taken the LMA, note those items you marked 5 (Always Important) and 4 (Often Important).   Now examine the list of Meanings and Factors (below) and place each of the items you marked a 4 or 5 under an individual category in the Meanings and Factors.  Be sure to write each statement out—do not just write the number of the item.  

Discussion of Findings: 

Attached to the 2-pages of forms you’ll submit on the due date for each LMA, you’ll also need to write a discussion of the findings of the LMA, in which you critically review and analyze the results.  You should look at the distribution of your responses under the Meanings and Factors.  Are there some factors that are dominant, or are your leisure factors widely distributed?  What is the overall characterization produced by your listing?  What does this say about you and your leisure life?  Do these results seem accurate to you?  Why or why not?    
LMA #1:  Use the form below for your first assessment.		Name: __________________

Qualities or Characteristics 
of Your Favorite Leisure Experiences	Level of Importance
(circle a number for each category)	
	Not 
Important	Seldom Important	Somewhat Important	Often Important	Always Important	
1.	To do something meaningful	1	2	3	4	5	
2.	To be confident	1	2	3	4	5	
3.	To feel at peace	1	2	3	4	5	
4.	To continue learning	1	2	3	4	5	
5.	To experience beauty	1	2	3	4	5	
6.	To be physically active	1	2	3	4	5	
7.	To be creative/expressive	1	2	3	4	5	
8.	To explore new ideas/activities	1	2	3	4	5	
9.	To relax and take it easy	1	2	3	4	5	
10.	To do something different from work	1	2	3	4	5	
11.	To enjoy long-time friends	1	2	3	4	5	
12.	To be entertained	1	2	3	4	5	
13.	To be able to do what I want	1	2	3	4	5	
14.	To be spontaneous	1	2	3	4	5	
15.	To be challenged	1	2	3	4	5	
16.	To do things with my family 	1	2	3	4	5	
17.	To do things my own way	1	2	3	4	5	
18.	To have support from others 	1	2	3	4	5	
19.	To feel committed to something	1	2	3	4	5	
20.	To compete with myself	1	2	3	4	5	
21.	To compete with others	1	2	3	4	5	
22.	To develop more skills	1	2	3	4	5	
23.	To keep myself busy	1	2	3	4	5	
24.	To use and improve my skills	1	2	3	4	5	
25.	To have something to show for my efforts	1	2	3	4	5	
26.	To organize and get things going	1	2	3	4	5	
27.	To get recognition	1	2	3	4	5	
28.	To be a success at what I do	1	2	3	4	5	
29.	To learn more about myself	1	2	3	4	5	
30.	To uphold tradition	1	2	3	4	5	
31.	To develop new friendships	1	2	3	4	5	
32.	To meet a variety of people	1	2	3	4	5	
33.	To help others	1	2	3	4	5	
34.	To get away from people	1	2	3	4	5	
35.	To be physically fit	1	2	3	4	5	
36.	To be part of a group	1	2	3	4	5	
37.	To make extra money	1	2	3	4	5	
38.	To do things with my spouse/partner	1	2	3	4	5	
39.	To laugh and enjoy	1	2	3	4	5	
40.	To be in attractive surroundings	1	2	3	4	5	
41.	To be in the outdoors	1	2	3	4	5	
42.	To learn more about the past	1	2	3	4	5	
43.	To ___________________________	1	2	3	4	5	
44.	To ___________________________	1	2	3	4	5	
45.	To ___________________________	1	2	3	4	5	
46.	To ___________________________	1	2	3	4	5	

LMA #1:  Persistent Meanings and Factors for Leisure Engagement		Name: ____________

1.	Enjoyment of Nature: to remove oneself from civilization	
2.	Search for Authentic Experience (Formerly categorized as Escape)	
3.	Physical Exercise	
4.	Creativity	
5.	Relaxation	
6.	Social Contact: opportunities to meet new people	
7.	Solitariness: to be by oneself	
8.	Sexual Contact	
9.	Family Interaction	
10.	Recognition Status	
11.	Social Power	
12.	Altruism	
13.	Stimulus Seeking	
14.	Self-actualization, Self-improvement, Feedback	
15.	Achievement and Attainment	
16.	Challenge and Competition	
17.	Way to kill time and to avoid boredom	
18.	Intellectual Aestheticism	

LMA Form #2:  Use the form below for your second assessment. 		Name: ____________

Qualities or Characteristics 
of Your Favorite Leisure Experiences	Level of Importance
(circle a number for each category)	
	Not 
Important	Seldom Important	Somewhat Important	Often Important	Always Important	
1.	To do something meaningful	1	2	3	4	5	
2.	To be confident	1	2	3	4	5	
3.	To feel at peace	1	2	3	4	5	
4.	To continue learning	1	2	3	4	5	
5.	To experience beauty	1	2	3	4	5	
6.	To be physically active	1	2	3	4	5	
7.	To be creative/expressive	1	2	3	4	5	
8.	To explore new ideas/activities	1	2	3	4	5	
9.	To relax and take it easy	1	2	3	4	5	
10.	To do something different from work	1	2	3	4	5	
11.	To enjoy long-time friends	1	2	3	4	5	
12.	To be entertained	1	2	3	4	5	
13.	To be able to do what I want	1	2	3	4	5	
14.	To be spontaneous	1	2	3	4	5	
15.	To be challenged	1	2	3	4	5	
16.	To do things with my family 	1	2	3	4	5	
17.	To do things my own way	1	2	3	4	5	
18.	To have support from others 	1	2	3	4	5	
19.	To feel committed to something	1	2	3	4	5	
20.	To compete with myself	1	2	3	4	5	
21.	To compete with others	1	2	3	4	5	
22.	To develop more skills	1	2	3	4	5	
23.	To keep myself busy	1	2	3	4	5	
24.	To use and improve my skills	1	2	3	4	5	
25.	To have something to show for my efforts	1	2	3	4	5	
26.	To organize and get things going	1	2	3	4	5	
27.	To get recognition	1	2	3	4	5	
28.	To be a success at what I do	1	2	3	4	5	
29.	To learn more about myself	1	2	3	4	5	
30.	To uphold tradition	1	2	3	4	5	
31.	To develop new friendships	1	2	3	4	5	
32.	To meet a variety of people	1	2	3	4	5	
33.	To help others	1	2	3	4	5	
34.	To get away from people	1	2	3	4	5	
35.	To be physically fit	1	2	3	4	5	
36.	To be part of a group	1	2	3	4	5	
37.	To make extra money	1	2	3	4	5	
38.	To do things with my spouse/partner	1	2	3	4	5	
39.	To laugh and enjoy	1	2	3	4	5	
40.	To be in attractive surroundings	1	2	3	4	5	
41.	To be in the outdoors	1	2	3	4	5	
42.	To learn more about the past	1	2	3	4	5	
43.	To ___________________________	1	2	3	4	5	
44.	To ___________________________	1	2	3	4	5	
45.	To ___________________________	1	2	3	4	5	
46.	To ___________________________	1	2	3	4	5	

LMA #2:  Persistent Meanings and Factors for Leisure Engagement 		Name: ____________

1.	Enjoyment of Nature: to remove oneself from civilization	
2.	Search for Authentic Experience (Formerly categorized as Escape)	
3.	Physical Exercise	
4.	Creativity	
5.	Relaxation	
6.	Social Contact: opportunities to meet new people	
7.	Solitariness: to be by oneself	
8.	Sexual Contact	
9.	Family Interaction	
10.	Recognition Status	
11.	Social Power	
12.	Altruism	
13.	Stimulus Seeking	
14.	Self-actualization, Self-improvement, Feedback	
15.	Achievement and Attainment	
16.	Challenge and Competition	
17.	Way to kill time and to avoid boredom	
18.	Intellectual Aestheticism	

California State University, Sacramento
College of Health and Human Services
Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies

RLS 122 – Perspectives on Leisure

WRITING ASSIGNMENT FOUR:  Challenge Experience/Leisure Motivations

Name: _____________________________   Date: __________________

Project Element	Possible Points	Points Earned	
Completion & attachment of LMA #1	5		
Meanings & Factors for LMA #1	5		
Completion & attachment of LMA #2	5		
Meanings & Factors for LMA #2	5		
Summary and analysis paragraphs	10		
Mechanics, including: 
•	Composition
•	Format
•	Grammar
•	Spelling
•	Sentence Structure
•	Paper Organization
•	Writing Style	10		
Overall project development	10		
Deductions 			
Total	50		

STAPLE THIS FORM TO THE FRONT OF YOUR PAPER