Age technologies in leisure activities

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Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts

Age technologies in leisure activities

Oliinyk Oksana

PhD in Psychology, associate professor

of the cultural and leisure activities department

Purpose of the Article

The research deals with the search for new approaches to the organization of leisure for the representatives of various age categories (children, teenagers, young people, adults and old people) by widening of their worldview, activation of skills, implementation of new technologies of socio-cultural activity and leisure at each stages of life cycle. Methodology. The methodology of the study includes the principles (democracy, humanism, connection with life, system and complex approaches, age social and psychological peculiarities) and the methods (education, organization of the activity, motivation) of the leisure industry in different demographic groups. The methodological approach allows us to show the nature of the personality and psychological laws of its formation at the different age stages. It also gives us an opportunity to analyse the active methods of social and psychological study, aimed at personal development, self-improvement and realization. Scientific novelty consists in the following: widening the worldview about the age limits of every step of the development, interests and possibilities of people of different ages; breaking stereotypes of leisure interests and abilities of old people; analysing the variety of the age leisure technologies such as sports and recreation, cultural technologies of the creation and developing of cultural values, technologies of social and cultural institutions of entertaining and leisure as well as ecological, organizational and social- protective ones. The analysis of the psychological peculiarities of the development of people of different ages, their leisure interests allows realizing the importance of the methods, forms and kinds of the leisure activities in accordance with the age of people. Conclusions. Use of the age technologies in leisure activities stimulates psychosocial development and recreation of a personality, harmonization of private and business relations in social groups and cultural development of a man at various stages of his life.

Keywords: age, age periods, age technologies in leisure, types and forms of leisure.

Олійник Оксана Олексіївна, кандидат психологічних наук, доцент кафедри культурно-дозвіллєвої діяльності Київського національного університету культури і мистецтв

Вікові технології у дозвіллєвій діяльності

Мета роботи. Дослідження пов'язане з пошуком нових підходів у організації дозвілля представників різних вікових категорій - дітей, підлітків, молоді, людей зрілого і похилого віку - шляхом розширення їх світогляду, активізації можливостей, запровадження нових технологій соціально-культурної діяльності і дозвілля на кожному з етапів життєвого циклу. Методологія дослідження полягає у комплексному застосуванні принципів (демократизм, гуманізм, зв'язок з життям, системний і комплексний підхід, врахування вікових соціально-психологічних особливостей) і методів (виховання, організація діяльності, стимулювання) дозвіллєвої діяльності в різновікових групах. Означений методологічний підхід дає змогу розкрити сутність особистості та психологічні закономірності її формування на різних вікових етапах, проаналізувати активні методи соціально-психологічного навчання з метою розвитку, самовдосконалення і самореалізації особистості. Наукова новизна полягає в розширення уявлень про вікові межі кожного етапу життя, інтереси і можливості людей різного віку, руйнування стереотипів щодо дозвіллєвих вподобань і можливостей людей у період зрілості і старості, розмаїття вікових технологій дозвілля: спортивно- оздоровчі, культурно-орієнтовані технології створення і розвитку культурних цінностей, екологічні, технології соціально- культурних інститутів відпочинку і розваг, організаційні, соціально-захисні. Аналіз психологічних особливостей розвитку людей різних вікових груп, організації дозвілля з ними, виявлення сфери їх дозвіллєвих вподобань дає можливість глибше усвідомити важливість використання прийомів, методів, форм і видів дозвіллєвої діяльності відповідно до вікових особливостей розвитку і функціонування людини. Висновки. Застосування вікових технологій у дозвіллєвій діяльності сприяє психосоціальному розвитку і рекреації особистості, гармонізації міжособистісних і ділових стосунків у соціальних групах, формуванню і розвитку культури дозвілля людей на різних етапах життєдіяльності.

Ключові слова: вік, вікові періоди, вікові технології у дозвіллі, види і форми дозвілля. leisure activitie age

Олейник Оксана Алексеевна, кандидат психологических наук, доцент кафедры культурно-досуговой деятельности Киевского национального университета культуры и искусств

Возрастные технологии в досуговой деятельности

Цель работы. Исследование связано с поиском новых подходов к организации досуга представителей разных возрастных категорий - детей, подростков, молодежи, людей зрелого и преклонного возраста - путем расширения их мировоззрения, активизации возможностей, внедрения новых технологий социально-культурной деятельности и досуга на каждом этапе жизненного цикла. Методология исследования заключается в комплексном применении принципов (демократизм, гуманизм и связь с жизнью, системный и комплексный подход, учет возрастных социальнопсихологических особенностей) и методов (воспитание, организация деятельности, стимулирование) досуговой деятельности в разновозрастных группах. Представленный методологический подход позволяет раскрыть суть личности и психологические закономерности ее формирования на разных возрастных этапах, проанализировать активные методы социально-психологического научения с целью развития, самоусовершенствования и самореализации личности. Научная новизна работы заключается в расширении представлений о возрастных границах каждого этапа, интересах и возможностях людей разного возраста, разрушении стереотипов относительно досуговых предпочтений и возможностей людей в период старости, разнообразии возрастных технологий досуга: спортивно-оздоровительные, культурно-ориентированные технологи создания и развития культурных ценностей, экологические, технологии социально культурных институтов отдыха и развлечений, организационные, социально-защитные. Анализ психологических особенностей развития людей разных возрастных групп, организации досуга с ними, определение сферы их досуговых предпочтений дает возможность осознать важность использования приемов, методов, форм и видов досуговой деятельности применительно к возрастным особенностям развития и функционирования человека. Выводы. Использование возрастных технологий в досуговой деятельности способствует психосоциальному развитию и рекреации личности, гармонизации межличностных и деловых отношений в социальных группах, формированию и развитию культуры досуга людей на разных этапах жизнедеятельности.

Ключевые слова: возраст, возрастные периоды, возрастные технологии в досуге, виды и формы досуга.

Formulation of the Problem

In the modern global community, the views of the age characteristics of human development have changed. We can see the widening of the limits of the age periods, changing perceptions of age and people's attitude to it, breaking down the stereotypes about the preferences and capabilities of people of different age groups. Thus, the democratization of society contributes to the development of new approaches to social and cultural sphere and organization of leisure for various age groups. As far as is known, the well-organized leisure is the effective method to prevent the nervous exhaustion, the key to mental and physical health, longevity, professional achievements and harmonious relations with others. Today, in the institutions of culture and leisure, the special attention is paid to the optimization of psychological, social and educational assistance to different age groups and the creation of the conditions for their interaction, communication and active life. All of them require the use of new leisure technologies.

Summing up the above-stated positions, we can note that contemporary science is searching for the new approaches to the organization of leisure for the representatives of the various age categories (children, teenagers, young people, adults and old people) by widening of their worldview, the activation of skills, implementation of new technologies of the socio-cultural activity and leisure at each stage of life cycle. The above-mentioned features of the problem determine its actuality. It requires the studying of age entertainment technologies and their role in the formation and expansion of human outlook during the whole life.

Analysis of the Researches and Publications. The uniqueness of human development at different age stages and the role of the age features in the selection of forms and types of entertainment are studied in psychological, pedagogical and cultural scientific researches. M. Zatsepyna analysed the importance of the organization of cultural and leisure activities of preschool and primary school children in her works [4]. She reveals the foundations of the culture of a child personality and defines the ways and means of its forming in the process of organization of the child's leisure time [4, 7-15]. According to the content direction, the researcher distinguishes such kinds of entertainment as theatrical, educational, sport and music literary concerts [4, 22]. It is interesting that the scientist extends the idea of self-education as a form of cultural and leisure activities of preschool and primary school children [4, 41-46]. Following L. Vygotsky's conception about the zone of proximal development, M. Zatsepyna defines self-education as a purposeful cognitive activity, ruled by the personality of a child under the supervision of an adult [4, 41].

The modern approaches to the types, content and development of forms of the organization of leisure for children and youth are presented by such Ukrainian scientists as O. Bezpalko, I. Zvereva, V. Molochnyi, S. Monkov [11]. The researchers define educational training as the main form of children and youth organization. It aims at providing socio-cultural animation. It should be noted that the proposed by the authors practical tools of training aimed at developing the participants' skills of projecting game programmes and topic days [11, 4]. It contributes to the improvement of the practically oriented capabilities of modern children and youth.

In modern studies, the great attention is paid to the role of leisure as the area of teenagers and youth socialization. Scientists analyse leisure in "the organization of spare time, intimate personal communications, the development of creative potential, self-realization, social norms and values of modern society, formation of the new social statuses and roles. It develops a teenager's personality as an active subject of social activity and communication" [7, 37]. However, we should note that the mass media form the leisure self-fulfilment of the growing personality. It mainly takes place out of culture institutions [7, 36].

Mostly the socialization of young people is held under the influence of value orientations and behaviour stereotypes. They are forming under the conditions of negative manifestations of the leisure field [6]. Many researchers focus on the issue of the self-development and self-fulfilment of a modern young man during leisure time. In addition, they study the socio-psychological characteristics of youth recreational space [3]. Unfortunately, there is a lack of the researches, devoted to the organization of entertainment for people of middle age and old ones. Scientists emphasize the role of leisure for old people in overcoming the pessimistic mood, enhancing of personal activity of aged people, shaping their vitality and maintaining their social relationships [1; 5; 10].

The peculiarities of age technologies in various types and forms of family entertainment are presented in the works of psychologists and cultural scientists. They involve family structure study, its types, cohesion, family roles, choice of various kinds and forms of family entertainments [1; 8; 9; 10]. The stereotypes of leisure for middle-aged and old people give us an opportunity to emphasize the actuality of the problem of age technologies in the leisure activities, caused by the transformation of modern society and system of values.

The purposes of the article are to define the role of age characteristics of a man in the organization of leisure time and to research the peculiarities of the leisure technologies at different stages of life cycle.

Main Part

We can define the age technologies in the field of leisure as a set of methods and techniques of the leisure organization for people of different age groups: children and teenagers, young and old people. The knowledge of human psychological characteristics plays an important role in organizing and conducting the entertainment for the representatives of different age groups. They are age periods of development, dominant kinds of activities, crisis, the formation and development of cognitive sphere, the sphere of emotions, feelings and worldview. Naturally, the choice of forms and types of entertainment should be based on the level of mental development, health, interests and abilities of each age stage.

Considering the human development, we can remark that at the early stages of ontogeny (1 to 3 years old) children's behaviour is impulsive. It is connected with the current situation, where they are. Only the objects, which are within a certain situation, attract children's attention. They directly perceive the situation. Naturally, perception is the leading mental cognitive process. At an early age, elementary forms of imagination appear. The short-term concentration and rapid changing of mind characterize them. Such processes of memory as recognition and reproduction actively develop. The key type of thinking is evident- effective. At an early age, emotional reactions are unstable and unpredictable. They often change and are associated with children's wishes. In addition, they are characterized by vivid affective symptoms as the reactions on difficulties and obstacles. Thus, we can see the emergence of primary consciousness and transition from passive vocabulary to active one. The children actively learn the primary moral norms of society and seek the partnership with adults and independence whereas they are still depended on the adults. The leading kind of activity at this age is the objects manipulation and objective activity.

Conducting the leisure activities of children of this age we should base on visual images and actions with them. Leisure activities should be short (15-20 minutes), because of the immature nerve cells, a child cannot be concentrated on something for a long time, and gets tired quickly. In this period the main leisure activities are games with objects, reading stories and poems with viewing of illustrations, drawing, communication with adults, experiments with materials and substances (objects of different shapes, sizes, colours), bulk products (millet, peas) manipulation and short physical exercises (1-2 minutes). Among the main forms of entertainments, we can distinguish children's events, puppet show, games and video libraries.

The preschool age (3 - 6 years old) is the best for the development of cognitive mental processes such as memory. Information is quickly and easily perceived and remembered by a child without any trainings. The free memory begins forming at the age of four or five. Perception becomes multifaceted. The apperception begins its development. The leading type of thinking is evident-shaped whereas we can see the development of verbal and logical one. Emotional processes are more diverse and balanced. Instead, the activities become more emotionally intense. The leading preschool activity is a game (game with figurative roles and plot, game with rules, didactic game).

The duration of leisure activities (30-40 minutes) increases in accordance with the peculiarities of mental development of a preschool child. The circle of varieties of leisure activities expands. They are plot and role games, games with rules, games-discussions, games with masks, games with elements of art therapy, music therapy, fine art therapy, dance, fine art, reading of stories (moral tales) and different sketches. The latter stimulate the development of child's logical thinking, imagination, memory, motivation, will, feelings, emotions and speech. The forms of leisure activities become more difficult. They are children's events, entertainment and physical competitions, hobby groups, the organization of amateur activities, puppet theatres and finger theatres.

The beginning of primary school age (from 6-7 to 10-13 years old) is associated with the crisis of 6-7 years old, characterized by the emergence of the child's social "I". Due to the development of child's emotions, the impulsive behaviour gradually reduces. The child's concentration on specific actions increases and the leading activity becomes studying. At this age, we can see the development of logical verbal and conceptual thinking, free semantic memory and free attention. In addition, a child forms the adequate selfesteem and expands his/her circle of friends. Therefore, children can spend more time at leisure and organize it on their own. In primary school, the children's popular kinds of leisure are intellectual games, physical activities, tourism and hiking. The leisure activity of the pupils of the primary school includes children's holidays, active games, competitions, group activity, amateur creativity and puppet theatre.

M. Zatsepyna emphasizes the diversity of cultural and leisure activities of pre-schoolers and pupils of the primary school. She offers her classification of children's leisure. There are many kinds of it. They are relaxation (active and passive), entertainment (theatrical performances, theatre of shadows with a flannel- graph, theatre of shadows with hands, theatre of toys and theatre of pictures, concerts, magic tricks, jokes, charades, attractions, surprises), holidays (folk, national, civil, international, Orthodox, traditional and family), self-education (playing, reading, excursions, museums, exhibitions, theatres, collecting of something, selfexperimentation, artistic activity), creativity [4, 16-50].

In our opinion, a sensory room occupies a special place in the organization of leisure for kids of different ages. There are many different kinds of stimulants in the sensory room. They affect the human senses - hearing, sight, smell, touch, and other receptors. The result of this action is the forming of the selfregulation of excitation and inhibition in the cerebral cortex. Thus, the sensory room creates the perfect atmosphere for relaxation, mental and physical stress relief, gaining new information about the world, new emotional experience and restoration of physical resources for future activity. As is well-known the development of the child's sensory system positively effects mental and physical development, enriches the range of behaviour and widens child's worldview.

In adolescence (10 - 16 years old), the person is interested in himself / herself and the opposite sex. The need for self-knowledge and self-assertion becomes actual. The desire to be an adult and the inability to satisfy it because of personal immaturity, social and economic dependence on parents is crucial for teenagers. The leading activity of adolescents is communication with their peers, intimate-personal communication, which is happened mainly in the spontaneous, unorganized leisure, educational, cultural institutions (palaces of culture and arts, theatres, clubs, schools, out-school institutions, hobby groups, public civil organizations, sports and scout organizations) and indirect communication (Internet, social networks, phones) [7, 36]. The mass culture influences the leisure of modern teenagers very much. It promotes the development of personal qualities of the growing identity and satisfaction of basic social psychological cultural and spiritual needs.

Scientists pay great attention to personal development and the organization of leisure activities at the youth period. Ukrainian researchers divided youth into three periods: the early - 16 - 17 years old, middle - 18-21 years old and late - 22-24 years old. The youth lasts from 24 up to 30 years old. This period is the era of the formation of identity and the awareness of youth unrealistic dreams. Instead, according to the WHO, the period of youth lasts from 18 to 44 years old. During this period, a man gets his own social experience and forms his more realistic attitude to life. The main features of the age are the specialization in the chosen profession, gaining work experience and new career achievements. The cooperation with foreign youth organizations is the system of interaction among children, teenagers and youth organizations, public centres, businesses, cultural and religious institutions [9].

The leisure of modern young people is characterized by individual freedom in choosing the shapes, time and place of entertainment; freedom from family and professional duties; reduction of social institutions pressure on their identity. The active kinds and collective forms of leisure occupy the special place in the youth culture. Young people prefer communicating with their peers, where the special young subculture is forming.

The transition period from youth to maturity is called full bloom (31 - 40 years old). It is time of the high efficiency and work abilities. A person gets life experience, becomes a specialist and has his/her family. At this period, a person first tries to answer the question - "What shall I leave after me?" The top of life of an individual is the period of maturity (40 - 55 years old). It is characterized by the achievements in professional activities and the desires to share his/her experience with other. This period ends by the crisis of the awareness of age changes and the beginning of the physiological aging. All of them lead to pessimism, lifestyle changes and seeking for new goals. According to the World Health Organization, the limits of the middle age are 45 - 59 years old. This age is a critical period, which is accompanied by introspection, self-criticism, reassessment of values and beliefs and adaptation to the mental and physical changes. The psychological symptoms of the personality are associated with problems of continuity and life changes. At this age stage, a person is aware that he/she has already taken the important decisions on his/her professional activities, career and family life. After it, the person focuses only on the implementation of the priority life goals.

Finally, the leisure of the middle-aged people has a number of features. They are stability of leisure preferences, domestic kinds and forms of leisure, family creativity, interests in books; the growing of individual creativity and initiatives, small forms of entertainment; travelling; computerization and TV-mania. The media is the main source of information for adults' self-education and self-improvement. A characteristic feature of this age is the person's opportunity to engage in the activities that bring her/his enjoyment. For example, it can be Art therapy, which is a wonderful way of relaxation. It brings out positive emotions and helps overcome apathy. This therapy also stimulates people to be more active.

The continuation of creative activity, communication, sharing experience, roles of a grandmother or grandfather characterize the late period (55 - 75 years old). Then at the old age (75 - 90 years old) a psychological adjustment happens, mitigated by retaining a wide circle of friends and the inclusion of all possible activities. The main features of the period of longevity (90 years old) are adaptation to the new situation by the use of experience and inclusion of many adaptive systems on a personal level. According to the World Health Organization, the elderly age ranges from 60 to 74 years old. The senile age lasts from 75 to 90 years old. The longevity begins after 90 years old. Unfortunately, the social and cultural status of the elderly people does not always correspond to the global norms and standards, because their social roles, cultural forms of activity, communications and recreation are limited in the society.

The leisure of an elderly person depends on his or her mental and physical capacities, social status and living conditions. It should be aimed at enhancing the personal activity of old people and the formation of their vitality. The key function of the leisure for old people is the maintaining the communication with a wide range of people. In this period, the social contacts are reducing whereas the different kinds of leisure activities give the opportunity to meet a wide range of people. Each type of leisure improves psycho- emotional state, promotes relaxation or optimization of the life energy and growth of the feeling of satisfaction with life. In addition, it helps to preserve and strengthen the individual social activity. It contributes to the realization of the creative activity, spiritual needs and social experience.

In elderly leisure activities, we combine the traditional and alternative forms, methods and technologies of leisure activities. They are exercises and various kinds of sport, hiking, excursions, tourism, trips, participation in mass assemblies, art, books; communications, watching TV, listening to the radio, concerts of both the elderly and invited artists, recreational activities, plants and pets.

The rehabilitation leisure activities play an important role in the life of old people. They are book therapy, fine art therapy, music, clay therapy, garden therapy, etc. These therapies are special kinds of psychosocial and professional rehabilitation that allow people to work with plants, go in for sport and travel. Thus, while planning the vacations and leisure we should prefer developing technologies, which include elderly people into the different types of art activities and technical works. It expands the opportunity for their self-realization.

The listed above age leisure technologies are harmoniously combined with family entertainment and put in practice in family leisure. Naturally, there are active communications and interactions (family events and entertainment, family travel, family vacation), mutual development (effective organization and regulation of spare time, proper using of forms and types of family entertainment and readiness for social relations), mutual respect and solidarity (the development of family values, rules and behaviour, gaining and sharing the social experiences) of different generations.

Conclusions

The using of the age technologies in the leisure activities stimulates psychosocial development, recreation of a personality, harmonization of the private and business relations in social groups and the cultural development of a man at the various steps of his life. In the early stages of ontogeny, the leisure sphere is an area of mental and physical development and the formation of traditions, customs and social and cultural experience. In young and adult period, the leisure interests are the field of the selfrealization and worldview. It is also a way to prevent emotional exhaustion and professional degradation. Instead, in the period of late ontogeny, the leisure is the method of sharing the experience with younger generations. It promotes psychosocial rehabilitation of aged people.

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