PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Head out to the ski slopes, for happiness' sake

Study says even 1-off skiing trips can give you a valuable boost in pleasure and well-being

2013-12-02
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Joan Robinson
joan.robinson@springer.com
49-622-148-78130
Springer
Head out to the ski slopes, for happiness' sake Study says even 1-off skiing trips can give you a valuable boost in pleasure and well-being Are you contemplating a skiing holiday? The all-out pleasure and enjoyment you experience on a pair of skis or a snowboard is positively priceless to enhance your overall happiness. This is true even if you only get to go out on the slopes once in a blue moon, says Hyun-Woo Lee and colleagues from Yonsei University in the Republic of Korea, in an article published in Springer's journal Applied Research in Quality of Life.

Lee and his team conducted a survey of 279 visitors at three major ski resorts in South Korea. The happiness and satisfaction of skiers and snowboarders were determined by assessing their sense of pleasure, their level of flow or engagement in the activity, and the sense of involvement and satisfaction they subjectively reported after venturing out on the snow. Of the sample, 126 (45.2 percent) participants skied, 112 (40.1 percent) were snowboarders and 41 (14.7 percent) participated in both activities. Respondents spent on average four and a half days at a resort, while more than 90 percent visited ski resorts fewer than five times in a season.

The results of the survey indicate that sport participation indeed has a positive effect on satisfaction, and that such rich experiences enhance happiness. This can in turn lead to positive affirmations outside of sports that can have an impact on one's health and well-being. The manner in which participants engaged in the activity (known as flow) had the greatest direct impact on satisfaction, followed by involvement.

Flow or engagement is the manner in which you lose yourself in an activity, and are almost oblivious of all else around you. The experience itself, such as skiing, is so enjoyable that people will do it even at a great cost, for the sake of doing it. Involvement relates to having a sense of meaning and purpose in life: how you are able to be part of something larger than yourself. Being deeply involved in an enjoyable physical activity can enhance a person's positive outlook on life. Together, the research model demonstrated how such elements are interrelated in influencing a person's subjective well-being.

Lee noted that even one-off or fewer skiing outings had a positive effect on participants. Interestingly, skiers showed a higher level of pleasure and involvement in their sport than snowboarders did.

The findings are in line with the thinking of positive psychology that physical activity such as participating in sports helps people and communities to flourish. Previous research highlighted its benefits in preventing mental illness, in enhancing positive thinking and in buffering people against the stresses of life.

"Adult playfulness can influence people's happiness, while activities and socially convening around a sporting activity such as skiing have positive psychological outcomes and contribute to overall well-being," Lee believes. "This is also true for people who only casually participate in sports." Lee advised that people who organize sporting activities should attempt to build group solidarity and greater involvement so that people can grow emotionally, socially and creatively.

### Reference: Lee, H.-W., Shin, S., Bunds, K. S., Kim, M., & Cho, K. M. (2013). Rediscovering the Positive Psychology of Sport Participation: Happiness in a Ski Resort Context, Applied Research in Quality of Life. DOI 10.1007/s11482-013-9255-5

The full-text article is available to journalists on request.


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Process holds promise for production of synthetic gasoline

2013-12-02
Process holds promise for production of synthetic gasoline A chemical system developed by researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago can efficiently perform the first step in the process of creating syngas, gasoline and other energy-rich products ...

Scientists discover that short-term energy deficits increase factors related to muscle degradation

2013-12-02
Scientists discover that short-term energy deficits increase factors related to muscle degradation New research in The FASEB Journal suggests that a high protein diet suppresses protein breakdown by slowing the activity of the ubiquitin ...

Division of labor in the test tube

2013-12-02
Division of labor in the test tube Bacteria grow faster if they feed each other This news release is available in German. The division of labor is more efficient than a struggle through life without help from others – this is also true ...

Amplifying our vision of the infinitely small

2013-12-02
Amplifying our vision of the infinitely small Discovery by Richard Martel and his team on Raman signals published in Nature Photonics Richard Martel and his research team at the Department of Chemistry of the Université de Montréal have discovered a method ...

Study shows reforestation in Lower Mississippi Valley reduces sediment

2013-12-02
Study shows reforestation in Lower Mississippi Valley reduces sediment A modeling study by U.S. Forest Service researchers shows that reforesting the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley can significantly reduce runoff from agricultural lands ...

New algorithm finds you, even in untagged photos

2013-12-02
New algorithm finds you, even in untagged photos TORONTO, ON – A new algorithm designed at the University of Toronto has the power to profoundly change the way we find photos among the billions on social media sites such as Facebook and Flickr. This month, ...

New UK study suggests low vitamin D causes damage to brain

2013-12-02
New UK study suggests low vitamin D causes damage to brain LEXINGTON, Ky. (Dec. 2, 2013) — A new study led by University of Kentucky researchers suggests that a diet low in vitamin D causes damage to the brain. In addition to being essential for maintaining bone ...

Can big cats co-exist? Study challenges lion threat to cheetah cubs

2013-12-02
Can big cats co-exist? Study challenges lion threat to cheetah cubs New research into cheetah cub survival has refuted the theory that lions are a cub's main predator and that big cats cannot coexist in conservation areas. The study, published in the Journal of Zoology, ...

A method to predict Alzheimer's disease within 2 years of screening

2013-12-02
A method to predict Alzheimer's disease within 2 years of screening This news release is available in French. At the first signs of memory loss, most people start worrying and wonder, "What if I have Alzheimer's disease?" And yet, the disease ...

Increased risk for cardiac ischemia in patients with PTSD

2013-12-02
Increased risk for cardiac ischemia in patients with PTSD Reports a new study in Biological Psychiatry Philadelphia, PA, December 2, 2013 – There is growing concern that long-term untreated posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms may increase the risk of developing ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Intra-arterial tenecteplase for acute stroke after successful endovascular therapy

Study reveals beneficial microbes that can sustain yields in unfertilized fields

Robotic probe quickly measures key properties of new materials

Climate change cuts milk production, even when farmers cool their cows

Frozen, but not sealed: Arctic Ocean remained open to life during ice ages

Some like it cold: Cryorhodopsins

Demystifying gut bacteria with AI

Human wellbeing on a finite planet towards 2100: new study shows humanity at a crossroads

Unlocking the hidden biodiversity of Europe’s villages

Planned hydrogen refuelling stations may lead to millions of euros in yearly losses

Planned C-sections increase the risk of certain childhood cancers

Adults who have survived childhood cancer are at increased risk of severe COVID-19

Drones reveal extreme coral mortality after bleaching

New genetic finding uncovers hidden cause of arsenic resistance in acute promyelocytic leukemia

Native habitats hold the key to the much-loved smashed avocado’s future

Using lightning to make ammonia out of thin air

Machine learning potential-driven insights into pH-dependent CO₂ reduction

Physician associates provide safe care for diagnosed patients when directly supervised by a doctor

How game-play with robots can bring out their human side

Asthma: patient expectations influence the course of the disease

UNM physician tests drug that causes nerve tissue to emit light, enabling faster, safer surgery

New study identifies EMP1 as a key driver of pancreatic cancer progression and poor prognosis

XPR1 identified as a key regulator of ovarian cancer growth through autophagy and immune evasion

Flexible, eco-friendly electronic plastic for wearable tech, sensors

Can the Large Hadron Collider snap string theory?

Stuckeman professor’s new book explores ‘socially sustainable’ architecture

Synthetic DNA nanoparticles for gene therapy

New model to find treatments for an aggressive blood cancer

Special issue of Journal of Intensive Medicine analyzes non-invasive respiratory support

T cells take aim at Chikungunya virus

[Press-News.org] Head out to the ski slopes, for happiness' sake
Study says even 1-off skiing trips can give you a valuable boost in pleasure and well-being