Ebook: Time Use Research in the Social Sciences

Despite the fact that, for most of us, time is a central focus of our lives, the examination of what we do with our time and why has received limited attention as a method for understanding human behavior in the social sciences. Humans' view and use of time shows tremendous variation, including across cultures and with age, lifestyle, and gender. For many of us, a sense of time is ever-present. We speak of time as a commodity, a resource, an ally, an enemy, and a gift. It maybe on our side, on our hands, with us, or against us. We perceive it to change speeds (dragging vs. flying vs. standing still) and lest it get away on us, we attempt to harness and control it with clocks, schedules, and deadlines. We describe our use of time in a myriad ofways: we spend it, save it, waste it, kill it, give it, take it, and grab it. The impetus for this book grew from a three-day research symposium where established time use researchers from a variety of disciplines from Canada, the United States, Finland, Australia, and New Zealand gathered together to merge their knowledge and resources to collaborate in exam- ing the relationship between human time utilization and health and we- being. We gratefully acknowledge the financial support for the sym- sium received from the Government of Canada's Program for Inter- tional Research Linkages and M. Powell Lawton, without whose support and encouragement this book would likely not exist.

---

This collection demonstrates the use and variety of applications of time use methodology from multidisciplinary, multinational, and multicultural perspectives. A distinguished roster of contributors from such fields as psychology, occupational therapy, sociology, economics, and architecture examines the complex relationship between human time utilization and health and well-being and evaluates the future of time use analysis as a research tool in the social sciences.

---

This collection demonstrates the use and variety of applications of time use methodology from multidisciplinary, multinational, and multicultural perspectives. A distinguished roster of contributors from such fields as psychology, occupational therapy, sociology, economics, and architecture examines the complex relationship between human time utilization and health and well-being and evaluates the future of time use analysis as a research tool in the social sciences.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xvi
Time Use Research....Pages 3-18
Guidelines for Time Use Data Collection and Analysis....Pages 19-46
The Time-Diary Method....Pages 47-89
Analysis and Exploration of Meaning and Outcomes in Connection with Time Use Data....Pages 91-104
Methods and Concepts for Time-Budget Research on Elders....Pages 107-125
Life-Cycle and Across-the-Week Allocation of Time to Daily Activities....Pages 127-153
Variance in the Meaning of Time by Family Cycle, Period, Social Context, and Ethnicity....Pages 155-168
Application of Time Use Research to the Study of Life with a Disability....Pages 169-188
Biological and Sociocultural Perspectives on Time Use Studies....Pages 189-210
Te Ao Hurihuri....Pages 211-230
Time Budget Methodology in Social Science Research....Pages 231-242
Lessons from Leisure-Time Budget Research....Pages 245-258
Future Directions....Pages 259-268
Back Matter....Pages 269-281

---

This collection demonstrates the use and variety of applications of time use methodology from multidisciplinary, multinational, and multicultural perspectives. A distinguished roster of contributors from such fields as psychology, occupational therapy, sociology, economics, and architecture examines the complex relationship between human time utilization and health and well-being and evaluates the future of time use analysis as a research tool in the social sciences.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xvi
Time Use Research....Pages 3-18
Guidelines for Time Use Data Collection and Analysis....Pages 19-46
The Time-Diary Method....Pages 47-89
Analysis and Exploration of Meaning and Outcomes in Connection with Time Use Data....Pages 91-104
Methods and Concepts for Time-Budget Research on Elders....Pages 107-125
Life-Cycle and Across-the-Week Allocation of Time to Daily Activities....Pages 127-153
Variance in the Meaning of Time by Family Cycle, Period, Social Context, and Ethnicity....Pages 155-168
Application of Time Use Research to the Study of Life with a Disability....Pages 169-188
Biological and Sociocultural Perspectives on Time Use Studies....Pages 189-210
Te Ao Hurihuri....Pages 211-230
Time Budget Methodology in Social Science Research....Pages 231-242
Lessons from Leisure-Time Budget Research....Pages 245-258
Future Directions....Pages 259-268
Back Matter....Pages 269-281
....