Leisure Sciences

Top Research Topics at Leisure Sciences?

The journal focuses on Social psychology, Recreation, Sociology of leisure, Developmental psychology and Perception. Topics in Social psychology explored in the journal were investigated in conjunction with research in Context (language use), Wilderness, Crowding, Negotiation and Coping (psychology). The journal facilitated discussions that integrated Recreation and Specialization (functional).

Sociology of leisure research presented in Leisure Sciences encompasses a variety of subjects, including Leisure studies and Gender studies.

• Social psychology (39.33%)
• Recreation (34.13%)
• Sociology of leisure (10.86%)

What are the most cited papers published in the journal?

• Beyond the commodity metaphor: Examining emotional and symbolic attachment to place (952 citations)
• A HIERARCHICAL MODEL OF LEISURE CONSTRAINTS (932 citations)
• Reconceptualizing barriers to family leisure (793 citations)

Research areas of the most cited articles at Leisure Sciences:

The most cited articles aim to foster the development of research in Social psychology, Recreation, Sociology of leisure, Perception and Ethnic group. Social psychology research is the primary subject tackled in the most cited articles with a focus in Interpersonal communication. The most cited articles with studies in Recreation featured incorporate elements of Place attachment, Marketing, Preference and Socioeconomics.

What topics the last edition of the journal is best known for?

• Law
• World War II
• Social psychology

The previous edition focused in particular on these issues:

The discussions in the journal mainly cover the fields of 2019-20 coronavirus outbreak, Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), Pandemic, Coronavirus and Aesthetics. It addresses concerns in Aesthetics which are intertwined with other disciplines, such as Mythology and Qualitative research. Some problems in Mythology that were presented in Leisure Sciences overlapped with concepts under Identity (social science), Perspective (graphical) and Placemaking.

Topics in Politics explored in the journal were investigated in conjunction with research in Power (social and political) and Media studies. Leisure Sciences explores issues in Power (social and political) which can be linked to other research areas like Capitalism and Oppression. It blends together research topics in Social distance and Recreation.

The most cited articles from the last journal are:

• Less Sex, but More Sexual Diversity: Changes in Sexual Behavior during the COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic (54 citations)
• Are You OK, Boomer? Intensification of Ageism and Intergenerational Tensions on Social Media Amid COVID-19 (31 citations)
• Promoting Older Adults’ Physical Activity and Social Well-Being during COVID-19 (29 citations)

Papers citation over time

A key indicator for each journal is its effectiveness in reaching other researchers with the papers published at that venue.

The chart below presents the interquartile range (first quartile 25%, median 50% and third quartile 75%) of the number of citations of articles over time.

Top authors and change over time

The top authors publishing in Leisure Sciences (based on the number of publications) are:

• Monika Stodolska (29 papers) published 3 papers at the last edition the same number as at the previous edition,
• Jerry J. Vaske (29 papers) absent at the last edition,
• Gordon J. Walker (24 papers) absent at the last edition,
• David Scott (22 papers) absent at the last edition,
• Karla A. Henderson (18 papers) absent at the last edition.

The overall trend for top authors publishing in this journal is outlined below. The chart shows the number of publications at each edition of the journal for top authors.

Top affiliations and change over time

Only papers with recognized affiliations are considered

The top affiliations publishing in Leisure Sciences (based on the number of publications) are:

• University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign (100 papers) published 11 papers at the last edition, 3 more than at the previous edition,
• University of Waterloo (92 papers) published 11 papers at the last edition, 6 more than at the previous edition,
• Texas A&M University (79 papers) published 3 papers at the last edition, 1 more than at the previous edition,
• Pennsylvania State University (63 papers) published 3 papers at the last edition, 2 more than at the previous edition,
• Clemson University (49 papers) published 10 papers at the last edition, 8 more than at the previous edition.

The overall trend for top affiliations publishing in this journal is outlined below. The chart shows the number of publications at each edition of the journal for top affiliations.

Publication chance based on affiliation

The publication chance index shows the ratio of articles published by the best research institutions in the journal edition to all articles published within that journal. The best research institutions were selected based on the largest number of articles published during all editions of the journal.

The chart below presents the percentage ratio of articles from top institutions (based on their ranking of total papers).Top affiliations were grouped by their rank into the following tiers: top 1-10, top 11-20, top 21-50, and top 51+. Only articles with a recognized affiliation are considered.

During the most recent 2021 edition, 5.66% of publications had an unrecognized affiliation. Out of the publications with recognized affiliations, 41.00% were posted by at least one author from the top 10 institutions publishing in the journal. Another 9.00% included authors affiliated with research institutions from the top 11-20 affiliations. Institutions from the 21-50 range included 18.00% of all publications and 32.00% were from other institutions.

Returning Authors Index

A very common phenomenon observed among researchers publishing scientific articles is the intentional selection of journals they have already attended in the past. In particular, it is worth analyzing the case when the authors participate in the same journal from year to year.

The Returning Authors Index presented below illustrates the ratio of authors who participated in both a given as well as the previous edition of the journal in relation to all participants in a given year.

Returning Institution Index

The graph below shows the Returning Institution Index, illustrating the ratio of institutions that participated in both a given and the previous edition of the conference in relation to all affiliations present in a given year.

The experience to innovation index

Our experience to innovation index was created to show a cross-section of the experience level of authors publishing in a journal. The index includes the authors publishing at the last edition of a journal, grouped by total number of publications throughout their academic career (P) and the total number of citations of these publications ever received (C).

The group intervals were selected empirically to best show the diversity of the authors' experiences, their labels were selected as a convenience, not as judgment. The authors were divided into the following groups:

• Novice - P < 5 or C < 25 (the number of publications less than 5 or the number of citations less than 25),
• Competent - P < 10 or C < 100 (the number of publications less than 10 or the number of citations less than 100),
• Experienced - P < 25 or C < 625 (the number of publications less than 25 or the number of citations less than 625),
• Master - P < 50 or C < 2500 (the number of publications less than 50 or the number of citations less than 2500),
• Star - P ≥ 50 and C ≥ 2500 (both the number of publications greater than 50 and the number of citations greater than 2500).

The chart below illustrates experience levels of first authors in cases of publications with multiple authors.

Career Opportunities in Leisure Sciences

In addition to its diverse academic disciplines, Leisure Sciences also opens up a number of various career opportunities that can be explored. From roles in academia and research to professional practice in the fields dealt with in the journal, the options are plentiful. Opportunities also exist in counselling roles, wherein the understanding of leisure and its impact on individuals and families plays an integral part. For instance, a career as a marriage and family therapist can be greatly enriched by the insights gained from studying and understanding leisure sciences.

If you're interested in this path, you'll need to fulfil certain Marriage and family therapist education requirements in Idaho. By using the knowledge of leisure sciences, you can help improve family dynamics, enhance recreational techniques, and contribute positively to the field. It's important to consider how these separate, but interconnected fields, can work together.

Leisure Sciences also encompass roles in social works, parks and recreation management, leisure program planning and even town planning, wherein the understanding of the sociology of leisure, recreation and human perception can significantly influence planning decisions. A grounding in Leisure Sciences offers a unique lens to look at and address issues related to individual well-being, community development, and societal progress at large.

Regardless of your career trajectory, the interdisciplinary nature of Leisure Sciences ensures a well-rounded understanding of complex human experiences and behaviors. If you are passionate about contributing to the well-being and advancement of society, exploring careers in Leisure Sciences might be a great fit for you.