leisurely moments or lifetimes? context and the study of leisure, consumption and stratification

May 6th 2005, RC28-OsloMay 6th 2005, RC28-Oslo 11

Leisurely Moments or Leisurely Moments or Lifetimes?Lifetimes?

Context and the Study of Leisure, Context and the Study of Leisure, Consumption and StratificationConsumption and Stratification

Paul Lambert, Stirling UniversityPaul Lambert, Stirling UniversityMax Bergman, Universität Basel Max Bergman, Universität Basel

Ken Prandy, Cardiff UniversityKen Prandy, Cardiff University


‘‘Leisure / Consumption’ in Leisure / Consumption’ in Stratification studiesStratification studies

Persistence of relationship?Persistence of relationship? Homology v’s Individualisation v’s ‘Univore/Omnivore’Homology v’s Individualisation v’s ‘Univore/Omnivore’ Purpose behind relationshipsPurpose behind relationships

Specification of relationship?Specification of relationship? Methods of representing stratification / Unit of analysisMethods of representing stratification / Unit of analysis Anticipated importance of LC type: Anticipated importance of LC type:

Some LC patterns not associated with stratificationSome LC patterns not associated with stratification Some LC patterns are linked to strat. in ‘type’Some LC patterns are linked to strat. in ‘type’ Some LC patterns are linked to strat. in ‘degree’Some LC patterns are linked to strat. in ‘degree’

VeblenVeblen Multiple mechanisms of the LC linkMultiple mechanisms of the LC link Seemingly contradictory – or still consistent?Seemingly contradictory – or still consistent?


3 critical empirical contexts?3 critical empirical contexts?

Longitudinal Longitudinal Changing LC choices over lifetimeChanging LC choices over lifetime Vulnerability of LC choices to other lifetime changesVulnerability of LC choices to other lifetime changes Trends:Trends: Is evidence of change (period) conflated with Is evidence of change (period) conflated with

lifetime effects (age, cohort) lifetime effects (age, cohort) Regional / geographicRegional / geographic – ‘opportunity structures’ – ‘opportunity structures’ Stratification measuresStratification measures

This paper: evidence on these from:This paper: evidence on these from: British Household Panel Study 1991-2002British Household Panel Study 1991-2002 Swiss Household Panel 1999-2003Swiss Household Panel 1999-2003


Measuring Leisure/ConsumptionMeasuring Leisure/Consumption [Table 2][Table 2]

Household level:Household level: Individual levelIndividual level

Access to CarAccess to Car Member of sports clubMember of sports club

Washing machineWashing machine Member of political partyMember of political party

Dish washerDish washer Member of charityMember of charity

Home computerHome computer Goes to cinema regularlyGoes to cinema regularly

Home computer + internetHome computer + internet Goes to theatre / concertsGoes to theatre / concerts

Owns a second homeOwns a second home Goes out for a drinkGoes out for a drink

Private gardenPrivate garden Does home/garden improvementsDoes home/garden improvements

Go on holiday 1+ per yearGo on holiday 1+ per year


Evidence of LC–Stratification Evidence of LC–Stratification associationsassociations

[Table3][Table3] Numerous, albeit moderate, associationsNumerous, albeit moderate, associations + + Considerable variations by LC typeConsiderable variations by LC type

Strongest: Computer; dishwasher[UK]; holidays; theatreStrongest: Computer; dishwasher[UK]; holidays; theatre Weakest: Washing machine; garden; Sports club[Sw]; Drinking; Weakest: Washing machine; garden; Sports club[Sw]; Drinking;

DIY DIY Some National differences: Car ownership; dishwasher; 2Some National differences: Car ownership; dishwasher; 2ndnd

home; sports club; drinkinghome; sports club; drinking Remarkable x-national persistence – eg, cinema Remarkable x-national persistence – eg, cinema

[Unit & Level of measurement – see later]

Conclude: These are consistent with more than 1 theory..


Homology v’s Univore/OmnivoreHomology v’s Univore/Omnivore Inconclusive {appropriate data?} [Table 4]#acts-Cam:

UK:

2002- 0.36

1996- 0.35

Switz:

1999- 0.32

2002- 0.30


Context(1): Regional effectsContext(1): Regional effects

Consistently moderate cluster effects Consistently moderate cluster effects [Table 5][Table 5] X-national difference - larger for UK {household} UK: Smaller districts greater context Switzerland: Larger aggregates (urban/rural; language) more

significant LC studies should acknowledge regional context…

Varying impact as regression effects Varying impact as regression effects [Tables 5/9][Tables 5/9] A number of significant main effects – eg UK London effect A few examples of LC interactions – eg hhld goods LC studies should acknowledge regional context, though it

probably won’t affect anything else?


Context(2): representing stratification Context(2): representing stratification

[Tables 3 and 6][Tables 3 and 6] Occupational measuresOccupational measures

Primarily – same effects regardless of measure Aside1 – selected examples of categorical structures: non-

linearities (T6) and categorical transition assocs (T8) Aside2 – measures of social interaction, eg CAMSIS

EducationEducation [national variation – harmonisation problems]

Income Income [dominance of household level]

Unit of analysisUnit of analysis Individual – not appealing, but adequate and convenient Household – usually strongest association Parental – persistently strong, esp UK; hierarchical schemes

Gender differencesGender differences – need more exploration – need more exploration


Longitudinal context 1: Temporal effectsLongitudinal context 1: Temporal effects

[Table 7][Table 7] AgeAge

Strong for PC, Cinema; otherwise fairly weak usually negative quadratic X-national similarity

PeriodPeriod Usually LC varies by (categorical) year (NB # years varies)

CohortCohort Close equivalence to age

Age + Period or Age + CohortAge + Period or Age + Cohort Consistent ability to distinguish A + P/C main effects UK - Age effects most often greater in latest years (12 yrs) Switz – Age effects sometimes lower in later years (5yrs)


Longitudinal context 2: LC TransitionsLongitudinal context 2: LC Transitions

[Table 8][Table 8] LC history {in} stabilitiesLC history {in} stabilities

Most measures have stability, but non-ignorable within-person transitions (# years varies)

Models for transition propensitiesModels for transition propensities no bivariate relation to stratification scale, but relate to both

current, and changes in, stratification class often associated with age Common regression finding: T = C + A + Δ + F

Conclude: L/C patterns adjust evolve over life course in a way that is partially influenced by stratification


Longitudinal context(3): Relative impact Longitudinal context(3): Relative impact of time and stratificationof time and stratification

[Table 9][Table 9] Stratification effects diminish once account for Stratification effects diminish once account for

longitudinal context plus selected regional, longitudinal context plus selected regional, household measures household measures

Main effects of linear time period usually minimalMain effects of linear time period usually minimal Stratification-Age interaction often positiveStratification-Age interaction often positive Period/Cohort differences insubstantial (short Period/Cohort differences insubstantial (short

panel spells don’t support this)panel spells don’t support this) Lagged Dep-Var – shifts focus to transitions, Lagged Dep-Var – shifts focus to transitions,

diminishes all other explanatory factorsdiminishes all other explanatory factors


ConclusionsConclusions

Importance of LC type Importance of LC type {Some geographical impacts} {Small stratification measurement impacts}Longitudinal impacts:Longitudinal impacts:

AgeAge – can be substantial, though varies by LC type – can be substantial, though varies by LC type - interaction: greater impact of strat. at older ages- interaction: greater impact of strat. at older ages - role of (age-related) household structure- role of (age-related) household structure Period – inconclusivePeriod – inconclusive Cohort – inconclusiveCohort – inconclusive TransitionsTransitions – substantial importance of state changes – substantial importance of state changes

leisurely moments or lifetimes? context and the study of leisure, consumption and stratification

Documents

lc typestrongest

significant lc studies

stratificationsome lc

typesome lc patterns

examples of lc interactions

lc linkseemingly contradictory

hhld goods lc studies

rc28oslolongitudinal