Extreme sport participation as serious leisure: A Phenomenological Perspective

Abstract

Game… The beginning of defining sports and distinguishing them from extreme and non-extreme sports is the concept of game. Let's assume that we accept the beginning of everything that belongs to humans on earth as game. Let's combine the concept of extreme sports under the roof of game and position it in the right places. Thus, we can find the chance to reach the essence of the concept of extreme sports. Narrowing the boundaries of this broad concept and touching on the overlooked points will change the perspective on the concept of extreme sports and extreme sports participants. In this study, the basic principles, key concepts and perspectives on the experiences of the participants regarding extreme sports will be presented. At the same time, the study is an introductory study that offers an in-depth and comprehensive perspective on serious leisure activities. In the study, the nature and function of extreme sports were tried to be explained starting from the birth of extreme sports. At the same time, a phenomenological approach was used in one part of the study to investigate the meanings of the experiences of people involved in extreme sports. In this context, the results of semi-structured interviews conducted with extreme sports participants were included in the study. The study draws on interviews with 31 extreme sports participants (25 Male, 6 Female) from around the world who volunteered for the study, revealing 5 unique themes: identity and commitment, defining boundaries, risk, feelings of accomplishment and personal insight, extraordinary experiences similar to Maslow's peak experiences. The findings provide valuable insight into the participants' experiences. At this point, this study serves as a conceptual and experiential guide for scientists working in the field of serious leisure participation, recreation, and extreme sports.

Keywords

• serious leisure
• extreme sports
• phenomenology
• recreation

Ciddi serbest zaman etkinliği olarak ekstrem spor katılımı: Fenomenolojik bir bakış açısı

Öz

Oyun… Sporu tanımlamak ve onu ekstrem ve ekstrem olmayan sporlardan ayırmanın başlangıcı oyun kavramıdır. Yeryüzünde insana ait her şeyin başlangıcını oyun olarak kabul ettiğimizi düşünelim. Ekstrem spor kavramını da oyunun çatısı altında birleştirip doğru yerlere konumlandıralım. Böylece ekstrem spor kavramının özüne ulaşma şansını bulabiliriz. Bu geniş kavramın sınırlarını daraltmak ve göz ardı edilen noktalara değinmek ekstrem spor kavramına ve ekstrem spor katılımcılarına bakış açısını değiştirecektir. Bu çalışmada ekstrem sporlara ilişkin temel ilkeler, anahtar kavramlar ve katılımcıların deneyimlerine ilişkin bakış açıları sunulacaktır. Aynı zamanda çalışma, ciddi serbest zaman uğraşlarına ilişkin derinlemesine ve geniş kapsamlı bir perspektif sunan giriş niteliğinde bir çalışmadır. Çalışmada, ekstrem sporların doğuşundan başlanıp ekstrem sporların doğası ve işlevi açıklanmaya çalışılmıştır. Aynı zamanda çalışmanın bir bölümünde fenomenolojik bir yaklaşım kullanılarak ekstrem sporlarla uğraşan kişilerin deneyimlerinin anlamları araştırılmıştır. Bu kapsamda çalışmada ekstrem spor katılımcılarıyla yapılan yarı yapılandırılmış görüşme sonuçlarına yer verilmiştir. Çalışma, Dünya’nın farklı yerlerinden çalışmaya gönüllü olarak katılan 31 ekstrem spor katılımcısıyla (25 erkek, 6 kadın) yapılan görüşmelerden yararlanarak 5 benzersiz temayı açıklıyor: kimlik ve bağlılık, sınırları tanımlama, risk, başarı duyguları ve kişisel iç görü, Maslow'un zirve deneyimlerine benzer olağanüstü deneyimler. Bulgular, katılımcıların deneyimlerine ilişkin değerli bir içgörü sağlamaktadır. Bu noktada bu çalışma ciddi serbest zaman katılımı, rekreasyon, ekstrem sporlarla ilgili alanda çalışan bilim insanları için hem kavramsal hem de deneyimsel açıdan bir rehber niteliğindedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• ciddi serbest zaman
• ekstrem sporlar
• Fenomenoloji

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