Psychological Benefits of Leisure Participation: A Taxonomy of Leisure Activities Based on Their Need-Gratifying Properties

In this study, a needs-based taxonomy of leisure activities is proposed. Respondents experienced in a given leisure activity were asked to indicate the extent to which it met different psychological needs, as measured by the Paragraphs About Leisure (PAL) questionnaire. Each of the 3,771 participants completed the PAL on only 1 of the 82 leisure activities for which data were collected. The leisure activities were cluster analyzed with the scores on the PAL, and 12 leisure activity clusters were revealed. One group was judged to be a residual, and the other 11 groups were named agency, novelty, belongingness, service, sensual enjoyment, cognitive stimulation, self-expression, creativity, competition, vicarious competition, and relaxation.