Personality traits of extraversion (E) and neuroticism (N) were measured by subscales of the Ten-Item Personality Inventory (TIPI) for the Big Five (Gosling, Rentfrow, & Swann, 2003; 1 = not at all like me, 5 = very much like me). Sensation-seeking (SS) was measured by 4 items from the Sensation-Seeking Scale (SSS) (Zuckerman, 1993; 1 = not at all like me, 4 = very much like me). Thirteen common leisure activities were listed and respondents indicated how often they took part in each particular activity (1 = never, 5 = daily). All items were aggregated to represent overall leisure participation. Six items from Beard and Ragheb’s (1980) Leisure Satisfaction Scale were used (1 = never, 4 = often) to measure gratification of inherent needs in leisure pursuits. A higher total score indicated a higher level of overall leisure satisfaction.

We conducted a series of hierarchical regression analyses (Cohen & Cohen, 1983) to test the direct and indirect (moderating) effects of personality on leisure  participation−leisure  satisfaction  relationships  while  controlling  for demographic variables. We conducted three steps to predict leisure satisfaction. First, we entered demographic variables (i.e., age, sex, education, marital status, employment status, SES, and income). Second, we entered personality traits (E, N, and SS, one for each regression) and leisure participation. Finally, we entered the interaction terms (personality traits × leisure participation, one for each regression).

Results showed that personality traits of E and SS significantly moderated leisure participation-leisure satisfaction relationships (E × leisure participation: β = -.25, p < .01; SS × leisure participation: β = -.38, p < .001). In all the regression analyses, personality traits of E and N showed a consistent direct effect on leisure satisfaction (E: β = .17, p < .001; N: β = -.14, p < .001). However, SS did not show a direct effect on leisure satisfaction (β = .03, ns).

With a large nationwide representative sample, our results thus highlighted that extraversion may be an enhancer while neuroticism may be an inhibitor of leisure satisfaction. Furthermore, different people may benefit differently from leisure pursuits: low extraversion combined with low leisure participation produced the lower leisure satisfaction; low sensation-seeking combined with low leisure participation also produced the lower leisure satisfaction (plotted figures of these interactive effects are not shown here but may be obtained from the author). These moderating effects of personality on leisure satisfaction are the first to be reported for the Chinese people.

References

Beard, J. G., & Ragheb, M. G. (1980). Measuring leisure satisfaction. Journal of Leisure Research, 12, 20-33.

Cohen, J., & Cohen, P. (1983). Applied multiple regression/correlation analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd ed.). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Gosling, S. D., Rentfrow, P. J., & Swann, W. B., Jr. (2003). A very brief measure of the Big Five personality domains. Journal of Research in Personality, 37, 504-528.

Zuckerman, M. (1993). Out of sensory deprivation and into sensation seeking: A personal and scientific journey. In G. G. Brannigan & M. R. Merrens (Eds.), The undaunted psychologist: Adventures in research (pp. 45-47). Philadelphia: Temple University Press.

Beard, J. G., & Ragheb, M. G. (1980). Measuring leisure satisfaction. Journal of Leisure Research, 12, 20-33.

Cohen, J., & Cohen, P. (1983). Applied multiple regression/correlation analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd ed.). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Gosling, S. D., Rentfrow, P. J., & Swann, W. B., Jr. (2003). A very brief measure of the Big Five personality domains. Journal of Research in Personality, 37, 504-528.

Zuckerman, M. (1993). Out of sensory deprivation and into sensation seeking: A personal and scientific journey. In G. G. Brannigan & M. R. Merrens (Eds.), The undaunted psychologist: Adventures in research (pp. 45-47). Philadelphia: Temple University Press.

Appreciation is due to anonymous reviewers.

Professor Luo Lu, Department of Business Administration, National Taiwan University, No.1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei 106, Taiwan, ROC. Phone: +886-2-33669657; Fax: +886-2-23625379; Email: [email protected]