| The problem identified for investigation in this study contained several elements: (1) the efficacy of alternative methods of collecting data regarding the need-satisfying characteristics of selected leisure activities of people over sixty-five, (2) the development of a factor structure of psychogenic needs that would facilitate analyses of the leisure activities of older people, (3) the comparison of the factor structure of needs identified by this study with the factor structure of needs identified by Tinsley and Kass (in press-a), and, (4) the analysis of twelve leisure activities which are currently popular among older people.;Mean need-satisfying scores of each judge category were calculated for each activity (N = 12) on each need (N = 27). These means were then compared using the analysis of variance statistic. The .01 level of confidence was used as the measurement criterion to determine if the responses of the judge categories were significantly different.;Two methods of factor analysis with varimax rotations were used to establish a factor structure of needs. The mean need-satisfier scores of each activity were used in the solutions.;Once the factor structure had been established, mean need factor scores were calculated for each activity to determine the degree of satisfaction that an activity provided on each need factor.;Survey data were collected from non-probability samples of three distinct groups of judges (N = 198). People over sixty-five (N = 104), who represented one of the judge categories, were surveyed in a series of structured group interviews. The other two groups of judges: (1) senior center directors (N = 54) and (2) leisure services pre-professionals (N = 40) were surveyed by mail. The questionnaire, "Paragraphs About Leisure," which was developed by Tinsley and Kass (Note 1) was used to assess the need-satisfying characteristics of the leisure activities. Each respondent was asked to estimate the need-satisfying characteristics of two leisure activities on a five-point Likert-type scale. The two activities were randomly assigned to the respondents.;The findings indicated that both methods of data collection used in this study were effective. However, those judges surveyed by mail provided the most cost-effective and expeditious of the strategies used. It was also determined that the different judge categories did not differ in their estimates of the needs satisfied by the activities which allowed the investigator to aggregate the responses of the three groups in the factor analyses.;A five factor structure of needs, based upon the aggregated responses of the three groups of judges, was established. As hypothesized, this structure closely approximated an eight factor structure of needs identified by Tinsley and Kass (in press-a) in which they investigated the need-satisfying characteristics of leisure activities (N = 10) that are popular among college students. Therefore, the factors which emerged in this study were named after their respective counterparts in the Tinsley and Kass (in press-a) factor structure. The replicated factors were: (1) companionship, (2) autonomy, (3) power, (4) social services and, (5) self-actualization. |
