Leisure Styles and Adult Education

Abstract

Participation in adult education is positively associated with certain leisure styles. One style is membership and participation in formal organizations (with the notable exception of labor union membership). A second is minimal engagement in a wide variety of diverse leisure activities. A third is frequent participation in cultural events, in social relations outside the immediate family or neighborhood or work situation, and in sports. Frequent par ticipation in one's immediate surroundings, in restricted friendship circles, and passive engagement in sports and the mass media, tend to be negatively associated with adult education participation. Essentially, people with broad and diverse leisure activities are more likely to participate in adult education. This finding con flicts with a prevailing view that adult education competes with other leisure pursuits for the interest and attention of a potential audience. On the contrary, one obstacle to participation in adult education is adherence to a relatively passive leisure style.