Leisure Behavior Motivation and the Life Satisfaction of Retired Persons

This study examined the relationship between individual differences in the orientation toward intrinsic motivation in leisure behavior and the life satisfaction of retired persons. Subjects (N = 405), ranging in age from 57 to 92 years, were selected from age-segregated mobile home parks located in a popular retirement area. Data were gathered through a self-report instrument consisting of a life satisfaction index, intrinsic leisure motivation scale, and selected demographic variables. Results indicated significant positive relationships between life satisfaction and the intrinsic motivation dispositions of self-determination, competence, and challenge. Challenge, a tendency toward seeking leisure experiences that stretch one's limits and provide novel stimuli, offered the most explanatory power relative to subjects' life satisfaction scores.