Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Leisure participation: modelling the decision to engage in sports and culture

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Journal of Cultural Economics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Participation in sport and participation in cultural activities are usually studied separately. However, since both activities dominate the leisure time of most individuals, it is reasonable to analyse simultaneously the determinants of participation in both activities. Informed by the economic household theory, this study examined the core factors of time, income, human capital as well as several socio-demographic factors. The results showed that there was as small but significant correlation between sports and cultural participation. Thus, both can be described as complementary and competing activities. Leisure time, gender, education, nationality and subjective well-being were significant predictors of both sports and cultural participation. Differences were found for the variables age and income. This paper also describes the characteristics of those individuals who are not likely to participate in either activity and emphasises the importance of social inclusion programmes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Allender, S., Cowburn, G., & Foster, C. (2006). Understanding participation in sport and physical activity among children and adults: A review of qualitative studies. Health Education Research, 21(6), 826–835.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ateca-Amestoy, V. (2008). Determining heterogeneous behavior for theater attendance. Journal of Cultural Economics, 32(2), 127–151.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ateca-Amestoy, V. (2010). Cultural participation patterns. Evidence from the Spanish time use survey, ESA Research Network Sociology of Culture Midterm Conference. Culture and the making of worlds. Milan: Univ. Bocconi, 7–9 October.

  • Ateca-Amestoy, V., and Castiglione, C. (2015). Digital cultural audiences. Should cultural managers worry about the digital divide?. Seventh European Workshop on Applied Cultural Economics. Vienna: Austrian Institute of Economic Research (WIFO), 3–5 September.

  • Becker, G. S. (1996). The economic way of looking at behavior: The Nobel Lecture Hoover. Stanford: Hoover Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bihagen, E., & Katz-Gerro, T. (2000). Culture consumption in Sweden: The stability of gender differences. Poetics, 27(5), 327–349.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bildungsberichterstattung, A. (2012). Bildung in Deutschland 2012. Ein indikatorengestützter bericht mit einer analyse zur kulturellen bildung im lebenslauf. Bielefeld: Bertelsmann.

  • Bittman, M. (2002). Social participation and family welfare. The money and time costs of leisure in Australia. Social Policy and Administration, 36(4), 408–425.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bloom, M. R., Grant, M. W., and Watt, D. (2005). Strengthening Canada: The socio-economic benefits of sport participation in Canada. Ottawa: Conference Board of Canada.

  • Borgonovi, F. (2004). Performing arts attendance: An economic approach. Applied Economics, 36(17), 1871–1885.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Borowiecki, K. J., & Castiglione, C. (2014). Cultural participation and tourism flows: An empirical investigation of Italian provinces. Tourism Economics, 20(2), 241–262.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Breuer, C. (2006). Sportpartizipation in Deutschland–ein demo-ökonomisches modell [Sports participation in Germany–a demo-economic model]. Sportwissenschaft—The German Journal of Sport Science, 36(3), 292–305.

    Google Scholar 

  • Breuer, C., & Feiler, S. (2013). Sportentwicklungsbericht 2012/2013. Bundesinstitut für Sportwissenschaft: Analyse zur situation der sportvereine in Deutschland. Köln.

    Google Scholar 

  • Breuer, C., Hallmann, K., & Wicker, P. (2011). Determinants of sport participation in different sports. Managing Leisure, 16(4), 269–286.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Breuer, C., Hallmann, K., Wicker, P., & Feiler, S. (2010). Socio-economic patterns of sport demand and ageing. European Review of Aging and Physical Activity, 7(2), 61–70.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Breuer, C., & Wicker, P. (2008). Demographic and economic factors concerning the conclusion in the german sport system—A micro-analysis of the year 1985–2005. European Journal for Sport and Society, 5(1), 33–42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cabane, C., Hille, A., and Lechner, M. (2015). Mozart or Pelé? The effects of teenagers’ participation in music and sports. SOEP Papers on multidisciplinary panel data research. Berlin: DIW Berlin.

  • Cameron, S. (2006). Determinants of the demand for live entertainments: Some survey-based evidence. Economic Issues, 11(2), 28–42.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cameron, S. (2015). Music in the marketplace: A social economics approach. Oxon: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cameron, A. C., & Trivedi, P. (2010). Microeconometrics using stata. College Station: Stata Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Canoy, M., van Ours, J. C., & van der Ploeg, F. (2006). The economics of books. In V. A. Ginsburg & D. Throsby (Eds.), Handbook on the economics of art and culture. Amsterdam and Oxford: Elsevier.

    Google Scholar 

  • Castiglione, C. (2011). The demand for theatre: A microeconomic approach to the Italian case. Trinity Economics Papers tep0911. Dublin: Trinity College Dublin, Department of Economics.

  • Christin, A. (2012). Gender and highbrow cultural participation in the United States. Poetics, 40(5), 423–443.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clift, S., & Camic, P. M. (2015). Oxford textbook of creative arts, health, and wellbeing: International perspectives on practice, policy and research. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Craig, L., & Bittman, M. (2008). The incremental time costs of children: An analysis of children’s impact on adult time use in Australia. Feminist Economics, 14(2), 59–88.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cushman, G., Veal, A. J., & Zuzanek, J. (2005). Free time and leisure participation: International perspectives. Wallingford: CABI Publishing.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Daykin, N., Orme, J., Evans, D., Salmon, D., McEachran, M., & Brain, S. (2008). The impact of participation in performing arts on adolescent health and behaviour a systematic review of the literature. Journal of health psychology, 13(2), 251–264.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DiMaggio, P. (1982). Cultural capital and school success: The impact of status culture participation on the grades of US high school students. American Sociological Review, 189–201.

  • DiMaggio, P. (2004). Gender, networks, and cultural capital. Poetics, 32(2), 99–103.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diniz, S. C., & Machado, A. F. (2011). Analysis of the consumption of artistic-cultural goods and services in Brazil. Journal of Cultural Economics, 35(1), 1–18.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Downward, P., & Rasciute, S. (2010). The relative demands for sports and leisure in England. European sport management quarterly, 10(2), 189–214.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Downward, P., & Rasciute, S. (2011). Does sport make you happy? An analysis of the well-being derived from sports participation. International Review of Applied Economics, 25(3), 331–348. doi:10.1080/02692171.2010.511168.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Downward, P., & Rasciute, S. (2015). Exploring the covariates of sport participation for health: An analysis of males and females in England. Journal of Sport Sciences, 33(1), 67–76.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Downward, P., Hallmann, K., & Rasciute, S. (2015). Physical activity, well-being, health and trust: exploring their connectedness. Paper presented at the 7th ESEA conference on sport economics, Zurich, Switzerland, August 27–28.

  • Eberth, B., & Smith, M. D. (2010). Modelling the participation decision and duration of sporting activity in Scotland. Economic Modelling, 27(4), 822–834.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ekelund, R., & Ritenour, S. (1999). An exploration of the beckerian theory of time costs: Symphony concert demand. The American Journal of Economics and Sociology, 58, 887–899.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Falk, M., & Katz-Gerro, T. (2015). Cultural participation in Europe: Can we identify common determinants? Journal of Cultural Economics,. doi:10.1007/s10824-015-9242-9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Farrell, L., & Shields, M. A. (2002). Investigating the economic and demographic determinants of sporting participation in England. Journal of the Royal Statistical Society: Series A (Statistics in Society), 165(2), 335–348.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Galloway, S. (2006). Cultural participation and individual quality of life: A review of research findings. Applied Research in Quality of Life, 1(3–4), 323–342.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gans, H. (2008). Popular Culture and High Culture: An Analysis and Evaluation Of Taste (Revised And Updated): Basic Books.

  • Gratton, C., & Taylor, P. (2000). Economics of sport and recreation. London: E and FN Spon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gray, C. M. (2003). Participation. In R. Towse (Ed.), A handbook of cultural economics (pp. 356–365). Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greene, W. H. (2012). Econometric analysis. Harlow: Pearson.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grossi, E., Sacco, P. L., Blessi, G. T., & Cerutti, R. (2011). The impact of culture on the individual subjective well-being of the Italian population: An exploratory study. Applied Research in Quality of Life, 6(4), 387–410.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., & Anderson, R. E. (2010). Multivariate data analysis. A global perspective (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River: Pearson.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hirvensalo, M., & Lintunen, T. (2011). Life-course perspective for physical activity and sports participation. European Review of Aging and Physical Activity, 8(1), 13–22. doi:10.1007/s11556-010-0076-3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huang, H., & Humphreys, B. R. (2012). Sports participation and happiness: Evidence from US microdata. Journal of Economic Psychology, 33(4), 776–793.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Humphreys, B. R., and Ruseski, J. E. (2006). Economic determinants of participation in physical activity and sport. International Association of Sports Economists Working paper(0613).

  • Humphreys, B. R., & Ruseski, J. E. (2007). Participation in physical activity and government spending on parks and recreation. Contemporary Economic Policy, 25(4), 538–552.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Humphreys, B. R., and Ruseski, J. E. (2009). The economics of participation and time spent in physical activity (Working Paper 2009-09). Edmonton: University of Alberta, Department of Economics, Institute for Public Economics.

  • Humphreys, B. R., and Ruseski, J. E. (2011). An economic analysis of participation and time spent in physical activity. The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis and Policy, 11(1), (Contributions), Article 47.

  • Katsuura, M. (2008). Examining arts participation in Japan using the survey on time use and leisure activities. Asia Pacific Journal of Arts and Cultural Management, 5(1), 343–361.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirk, D. (2005). Physical education, youth sport and lifelong participation: The importance of early learning experiences. European Physical Education Review, 11(3), 239–255.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koivula, N. (1995). Ratings of gender appropriateness of sports participation: Effects of gender-based schematic processing. Sex Roles, 33(7–8), 543–557.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kolb, B. M. (2002). Ethnic preference for the arts: The role of the social experience as attendance motivation. International Journal of Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Marketing, 7(2), 172–181.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kraaykamp, G., van Gils, W., & Ultee, W. (2008). Cultural participation and time restrictions. Explaining the frequency of individual and joint cultural visits. Poetics, 36(4), 316–332.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Laamanen, J. P. (2013). Estimating demand for opera using sales system data: The case of Finnish National Opera. Journal of Cultural Economics, 37(4), 417–432.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, Y. G., & Bhargava, V. (2004). Leisure time: Do married and single individuals spend it differently? Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal, 32(3), 254–274.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leslie, E., Cerin, E., Gore, C. J., St. George, A., Bauman, A., Owen, N., & Cerin, E. (2004). Gender, age and educational-attainment differences in Australian adults’ participation in vigorous sporting and fitness activities. Journal of physical activity and health, 1(4), 377–388.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lewis, G., & Seaman, B. (2004). Sexual orientation and demand for the arts. Social Science Quarterly, 85(3), 523–538.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Løyland, K., & Ringstad, V. (2009). On the price and income sensitivity of the demand for sports. Has linder’s disease become more serious? Journal of Sports Economics, 10(6), 601–618.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MacKinnon, J. G., & White, H. (1985). Some heteroskedasticity consistent covariance matrix estimators with improved finite sample properties. Journal of Econometrics, 29(3), 305–325.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Matarasso, F. (1997). Use or ornament. The social impact of participation in the arts. Stroud: Comedia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mattingly, M., & Bianchi, S. (2003). Gender differences in the quantity and quality of free time. The US experience. Social Forces, 81(3), 999–1030.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCaughey, C. (1989). Arts education and demand for the arts in Canada. In H. Chartrand, C. McCaughey, & W. Hendon (Eds.), Cultural economics ‘88: A Canadian perspective (pp. 43–51). Akron: Association for Cultural Economics.

    Google Scholar 

  • Montgomery, S. S., & Robinson, M. D. (2010). Empirical evidence of the effects of marriage on male and female attendance at sports and arts. Social Science Quarterly, 91(1), 99–116.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Muñiz, C., Rodríguez, P., & Suárez, M. J. (2011). The allocation of time to sports and cultural activities: An analysis of individual decisions. International Journal of Sport Finance, 6(3), 245–264.

    Google Scholar 

  • Muñiz, C., Rodríguez, P., & Suárez, M. J. (2014). Sports and cultural habits by gender: An application using count data models. Economic Modelling, 36, 288–297. doi:10.1016/j.econmod.2013.09.053.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nagel, I., Damen, M., & Folkert, H. (2010). The arts course CKV1 and cultural participation in the Netherlands. Poetics, 38, 365–385.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Notten, N., Lancee, B., van de Werfhorst, H. G., & Ganzeboom, H. B. (2015). Educational stratification in cultural participation: Cognitive competence or status motivation? Journal of Cultural Economics, 39(2), 177–203.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • O’Hagan, J. W. (1996). Access to and participation in the arts: The case of those with low incomes/educational attainment. Journal of Cultural Economics, 20(4), 269–282.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Philipp, S. F. (1998). Race and gender differences in adolescent peer group approval of leisure activities. Journal of Leisure Research, 30(2), 214–232.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rasciute, S., & Downward, P. (2010). Health or happiness? What is the impact of physical activity on the individual? Kyklos, 63(2), 256–270.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ringstad, V., & Løyland, K. (2011). Performing arts and cinema demand. Some evidence of Linder’s disease. Applied Economics Quarterly, 57(4), 255–284.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rublee, C. B., & Shaw, S. M. (1991). Constraints on the leisure and community participation of immigrant women: Implications for social integration. Loisir et société/Society and Leisure, 14(1), 133–150.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ruseski, J. E., Humphreys, B. R., Hallmann, K., & Breuer, C. (2011). Family structure, time constraints, and sport participation. European Review of Aging and Physical Activity, 8(2), 57–66.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scherger, S. (2009). Cultural practices, age and the life course. Cultural Trends, 18(1), 23–45.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scherger, J., & Vos, S. (2011). Social stratification in adults’ sports participation from a time-trend perspective. Results from a 40-year household study. European Journal for Sport and Society, 8(1/2), 31–44.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seaman, B. (2005). Attendance and Public Participation in the Performing Arts: A Review of the Empirical Literature. Working Paper 05-03, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies: Geogia State University.

  • Seaman, B. (2006). Empirical studies of demand for the performing arts. In V. Ginsburgh & D. Throsby (Eds.), Handbook of the economics of art and culture (1) (pp. 415–472). Amsterdam: Elsevier.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Silva, E. B., & Le Roux, B. (2011). Cultural capital of couples: Tensions of elective affinities. Poetics, 39(6), 547–565.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stamatakis, E., & Chaudhury, M. (2008). Temporal trends in adults’ sports participation patterns in England between 1997 and 2006: The health survey for England. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 42(11), 901–908. doi:10.1136/bjsm.2008.048082.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stodolska, M., & Livengood, J. S. (2006). The influence of religion on the leisure behavior of immigrant Muslims in the United States. Journal of Leisure Research, 38(3), 293–320.

    Google Scholar 

  • Taks, M., Renson, R., & Vanreusel, B. (1994). Of sport, time and money: An economic approach to sport participation. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 29(4), 381–395.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taks, M., & Scheerder, J. (2006). Youth sports participation styles and market segmentation profiles: Evidence and applications. European Sport Management Quarterly, 6(2), 85–121. doi:10.1080/16184740600954080.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tepper, S. J. (2000). Fiction reading in America: Explaining the gender gap. Poetics, 27(4), 255–275.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Throsby, D. (1994). The production and consumption of the arts. A view of cultural economics. Journal of Economic Literature, 32(1), 1–29.

    Google Scholar 

  • Toepoel, V. (2011). Cultural participation of older adults: Investigating the contribution of lowbrow and highbrow activities to social integration and satisfaction with life. International Journal on Disability and Human Development, 10(2), 123–129.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • UNESCO (2003). Why Sport? http://www.un.org/wcm/content/site/sport/home/sport. 17.06.2014.

  • UNESCO. (2012). Measuring cultural participation. Montreal: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

    Google Scholar 

  • Upright, C. B. (2004). Social capital and cultural participation: Spousal influences on attendance at arts events. Poetics, 32(2), 129–143.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van Hek, M., & Kraaykamp, G. (2013). Cultural consumption across countries: A multi-level analysis of social inequality in highbrow culture in Europe. Poetics, 41(4), 323–341.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wagner, G. G., Frick, J. R., & Schupp, J. (2007). The german socio-economic panel-study (SOEP)—Scope. Evolution and Enhancements. Schmollers Jahrbuch, 127(1), 139–169.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wen, W., & Cheng, T. (2013). Performing arts attendance in Taiwan: Who and how often? Journal of Cultural Economics, 37(2), 309–325.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • White, H. (1980). A heteroscedasticity-consistent covariance matrix estimator and a direct test for heteroscedasticity. Econometrica, 48(4), 817–838.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, T. C. (2002). The paradox of social class and sports involvement: The roles of cultural and economic capital. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 37(1), 5–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Withers, G. (1980). Unbalanced growth and the demand for the performing arts: An econometric analysis. Southern Economic Journal, 46(3), 735–742.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wooldridge, J. M. (2002). Econometric analysis of cross section and panel data. Cambridge: MIT Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yen, S.-J., & Lee, Y.-S. (2009). Cluster-based under-sampling approaches for imbalanced data distributions. Expert Systems with Applications, 36(3), 5718–5727.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Data used in this manuscript were made available by the German Institute for Economic Research, and these data are based on the Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Sport Economics and Sport Management, German Sport University Cologne, Am Sportpark Muengersdorf 6, 50933, Cologne, Germany

    Kirstin Hallmann, Christoph Breuer, Sören Dallmeyer & Magnus Metz

  2. Departamento de Economía, Facultad de Economía y Empresa, University of Oviedo, Campus del Cristo, s/n, 33006, Oviedo, Spain

    Cristina Muñiz Artime

Authors
  1. Kirstin Hallmann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Cristina Muñiz Artime
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Christoph Breuer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Sören Dallmeyer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Magnus Metz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kirstin Hallmann.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Hallmann, K., Artime, C.M., Breuer, C. et al. Leisure participation: modelling the decision to engage in sports and culture. J Cult Econ 41, 467–487 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10824-016-9275-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10824-016-9275-8

Keywords

JEL Classification

Search

Navigation