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Rediscovering the Positive Psychology of Sport Participation: Happiness in a Ski Resort Context

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Abstract

Interrelated functions of the three orientations to happiness were examined by a cross-sectional survey, in the context of a ski resort experience. Accordingly, a conceptual framework of pleasure, flow, and involvement influencing satisfaction was established. Utilizing structural equation modeling, the conceptual framework was tested by analyzing data collected from 279 participants who enjoyed skiing and/or snowboarding. Results from bootstrap test indicated that direct and total effects from flow had the highest predictive power on satisfaction. In contrast, pleasure showed higher explanatory power on subjective experiences of flow and meaning, and influenced satisfaction only by indirect effects through those elements. Together, these findings support the research model synthesizing the behavioral constructs of sport participation with subjective well-being perspectives. Moreover, the expanded model in a sporting context further evidences the functional roles of the orientations to happiness by results consistent with extant literature of positive psychology. Roles of embodiments of orientations to happiness in an action-based exercise and its implications are further discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sport Management, Florida State University, Room 1022 Tully Gym, 139 Chieftan Way, Tallahassee, FL, 32306-4280, USA

    Hyun-Woo Lee

  2. Department of Sports and Leisure Studies, Yonsei University, Room 303 Yonsei Sports Center, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 120-749, Korea

    Sunyun Shin

  3. Department of Sport Management, Florida State University, Room 1017 Tully Gym, 139 Chieftan Way, Tallahassee, FL, 32306-4280, USA

    Kyle S. Bunds

  4. Department of Sport Management, Florida State University, Room 1024 Tully Gym, 139 Chieftan Way, Tallahassee, FL, 32306-4280, USA

    Minjung Kim

  5. Department of Sports and Leisure Studies, Yonsei University, Room 318 Yonsei Sports Center, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 120-749, Korea

    Kwang Min Cho

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  1. Hyun-Woo Lee
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  2. Sunyun Shin
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Correspondence to Kwang Min Cho.

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Lee, HW., Shin, S., Bunds, K.S. et al. Rediscovering the Positive Psychology of Sport Participation: Happiness in a Ski Resort Context. Applied Research Quality Life 9, 575–590 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-013-9255-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-013-9255-5

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