The value of creative activities in the recreational field: the grounded theory perspective
Abstract
The current article employs a constructivist grounded theory approach to analyze the relationship between recreation and creativity. Researchers explore how engaging in imaginative recreational activities foster and sustain social connections, emphasizing the importance of social settings and interactions. In the context of recreation, creativity is highlighted as a crucial process enriched with educational and developmental elements, characterized by originality and usefulness. The value of creative activities is particularly stressed, noting their ability to transform emotions, replace negative feelings with positive ones, and enhance self-confidence among young people. This self-confidence serves as a medium for socialization and self-development. Additionally, the role of communication is emphasized, as creative activities provide youth with opportunities to communicate and build social ties.
Keyword : communication, creativity, grounded theory, recreation, young people with fewer opportunities
How to Cite
Lisauskienė, D., & Leščinskij, R. (2025). The value of creative activities in the recreational field: the grounded theory perspective. Creativity Studies, 18(1), 113–125. https://doi.org/10.3846/cs.2025.20790
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
References
Adler, K., Salanterä, S., & Zumstein-Shaha, M. (2019). Focus group interviews in child, youth, and parent research: An integrative literature review. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 18, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406919887274
Batey, M., Chamorro-Premuzic, T., & Furnham, A. (2010). Individual differences in ideational behavior: Can the big five and psychometric intelligence predict creativity scores? Creativity Research Journal, 22(1), 90–97. https://doi.org/10.1080/10400410903579627
Batey, M., Chamorro-Premuzic, T., & Furnham, A. (2009). Intelligence and personality as predictors of divergent thinking: The role of general, fluid and crystallised intelligence. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 4(1), 60–69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2009.01.002
Ben-Zur, H., & Zeidner, M. (2009). Threat to life and risk-taking behaviors: A review of empirical findings and explanatory models. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 13(2), 109–128. https://doi.org/10.1177/1088868308330104
Beresnevičius, G. (2022). Kūrybiškumo sampratų klasifikacija ir kūrybiškumo sąvokos apibrėžtis. Terminologija, 29, 76–93.
Berger, P. L., & Luckmann, Th. (1999). Socialinis tikrovės konstravimas: žinojimo sociologijos traktatas. Pradai.
Bonetto, E., Pichot, N., Pavani, J.-B., & Adam-Troïan, J. (2020). Creative individuals are social risk-takers: Relationships between creativity, social risk-taking and fear of negative evaluations. Creativity: Theories – Research – Applications, 7(2), 309–320. https://doi.org/10.2478/ctra-2020-0016
Bryant, A. (2017). Grounded theory and grounded theorizing: Pragmatism in research practice. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199922604.001.0001
Bryant, A. (2019). SAGE Swifts. The varieties of grounded theory. SAGE Publications Ltd. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781529716542
Bryant, A., & Charmaz, K. (Eds.). (2019). The SAGE handbook of current developments in grounded theory. SAGE Publications Ltd. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781526485656
Bungay, H., & Vella-Burrows, T. (2013). The effects of participating in creative activities on the health and well-being of children and young people: A rapid review of the literature. Perspectives in Public Health, 133(1), 44–52. https://doi.org/10.1177/1757913912466946
Charmaz, K. (2014). Introducing qualitative methods. Constructing grounded theory. D. Silverman (Ed.). SAGE.
Charmaz, K. (2006). Introducing qualitative methods. Constructing grounded theory: A practical guide through qualitative analysis. D. Silverman (Ed.). SAGE.
Charmaz, K. (2008). Constructionism and the grounded theory method. In J. A. Holstein & J. F. Gubrium (Eds.), Handbook of constructionist research (pp. 397–412). The Guilford Press. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781848607927.n14
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1996). Creativity: Flow and the psychology of discovery and invention. Harper Perennial.
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2004). Implications of a systems perspective for the study of creativity. In R. J. Sternberg (Ed.), Handbook of creativity (pp. 313–336). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511807916.018
E-seimas.lrs.lt. (2018). Lietuvos Respublikos jaunimo politikos pagrindų įstatymo Nr. IX-1871 pakeitimo įstatymas. https://e-seimas.lrs.lt/portal/legalAct/lt/TAD/96665ec26a1c11e8b7d2b2d2ca774092
Elisondo, R. C., Soroa, G., & Flores, B. (2022). Leisure activities, creative actions and emotional creativity. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2022.101060
Glaveanu, V. P., Hanchett Hanson, M., Baer, J., Barbot, B., Clapp, E. P., Corazza, G. E., Hennessey, B., Kaufman, J. C., Lebuda, I., Lubart, T., Montuori, A., Ness, I. J., Plucker, J., Reiter-Palmon, R., Sierra, Z., Simonton, D. K., Souza Neves-Pereira, M., & Sternberg, R. J. (2019). Advancing Creativity theory and research: A socio‐cultural manifesto. Journal of Creative Behavior, 54(3), 741–745. https://doi.org/10.1002/jocb.395
Hegarty, C. B. (2009). The value and meaning of creative leisure. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, 3(1), 10–13. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0014879
Hegarty, C. B., & Plucker, J. A. (2012). Creative leisure and self-expression. The International Journal of Creativity and Problem Solving, 22(2), 63–79.
Hense, Ch., & Skewes McFerran, K. (2016). Toward a critical grounded theory. Qualitative Research Journal, 16(4), 402–416. https://doi.org/10.1108/QRJ-08-2015-0073
Hopf, Ch. (2005). Research ethics and qualitative research. In U. Flick, E. von Kardorff, & I. Steinke (Eds.). A companion to qualitative research (pp. 334–339). SAGE Publications.
Ismailovich, S. A. (2021). Socio-psychological problems of educating an independent-minded. Creative person in the educational process. Central Asian Journal of Literature, Philosophy and Culture, 2(12), 4–7.
Iwasaki, Y. (2017). Contributions of leisure to “Meaning-Making” and its implications for leisure studies and services. Annals of Leisure Research, 20(4), 416–426. https://doi.org/10.1080/11745398.2016.1178591
Mareque, M., Prada Creo, de E., & Gonzalez-Sanchez, M. B. (2019). Fostering creativity and communicative soft skills through leisure activities in management studies. Education and Training, 6(1), 94–107. https://doi.org/10.1108/ET-07-2018-0149
Norkaitienė, M., Šepetytė, R., & Šimėnaitė, Z. (2010). Mokomasis lietuvių kalbos žodynas. Baltos lankos.
O’Gorman, K., & MacIntosh, R. (2014). Research methods for business and management: A guide to writing your dissertation. Goodfellow Publishers Ltd.
Petružytė, D. (2013). Kliento savirealizacija kaip socialinio darbo tikslas: pagalbos teikimo organizavimo galimybės. Tiltai, 4, 139–159.
Rhodes, M. (1961). An analysis of creativity. The Phi Delta Kappan, 42(7), 305–310.
Saunders, M. N. K., Lewis, Ph., & Thornhill, A. (2023). Research methods for business students. Pearson Education Limited.
Sternberg, R. J. (1999). A propulsion model of types of creative contributions. Review of General Psychology, 3(2), 83–100. https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.3.2.83
Sternberg, R. J. (2003). Wisdom, intelligence, and creativity synthesized. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511509612
Theriault, D., & Stone, G. (2023). Promoting creativity in undergraduate recreation and leisure services classrooms: An overview. SCHOLE: A Journal of Leisure Studies and Recreation Education, 38(1), 46–57. https://doi.org/10.1080/1937156X.2021.1897904
Trnka, R., Zahradnik, M., & Kuška, M. (2016). Emotional creativity and real-life involvement in different types of creative leisure activities. Creativity Research Journal, 28(3), 348–356. https://doi.org/10.1080/10400419.2016.1195653
Zarobe, L., & Bungay, H. (2017). The role of arts activities in developing resilience and mental wellbeing in children and young people: A rapid review of the literature. Perspectives in Public Health, 137(6), 337–347. https://doi.org/10.1177/1757913917712283
Batey, M., Chamorro-Premuzic, T., & Furnham, A. (2010). Individual differences in ideational behavior: Can the big five and psychometric intelligence predict creativity scores? Creativity Research Journal, 22(1), 90–97. https://doi.org/10.1080/10400410903579627
Batey, M., Chamorro-Premuzic, T., & Furnham, A. (2009). Intelligence and personality as predictors of divergent thinking: The role of general, fluid and crystallised intelligence. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 4(1), 60–69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2009.01.002
Ben-Zur, H., & Zeidner, M. (2009). Threat to life and risk-taking behaviors: A review of empirical findings and explanatory models. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 13(2), 109–128. https://doi.org/10.1177/1088868308330104
Beresnevičius, G. (2022). Kūrybiškumo sampratų klasifikacija ir kūrybiškumo sąvokos apibrėžtis. Terminologija, 29, 76–93.
Berger, P. L., & Luckmann, Th. (1999). Socialinis tikrovės konstravimas: žinojimo sociologijos traktatas. Pradai.
Bonetto, E., Pichot, N., Pavani, J.-B., & Adam-Troïan, J. (2020). Creative individuals are social risk-takers: Relationships between creativity, social risk-taking and fear of negative evaluations. Creativity: Theories – Research – Applications, 7(2), 309–320. https://doi.org/10.2478/ctra-2020-0016
Bryant, A. (2017). Grounded theory and grounded theorizing: Pragmatism in research practice. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199922604.001.0001
Bryant, A. (2019). SAGE Swifts. The varieties of grounded theory. SAGE Publications Ltd. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781529716542
Bryant, A., & Charmaz, K. (Eds.). (2019). The SAGE handbook of current developments in grounded theory. SAGE Publications Ltd. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781526485656
Bungay, H., & Vella-Burrows, T. (2013). The effects of participating in creative activities on the health and well-being of children and young people: A rapid review of the literature. Perspectives in Public Health, 133(1), 44–52. https://doi.org/10.1177/1757913912466946
Charmaz, K. (2014). Introducing qualitative methods. Constructing grounded theory. D. Silverman (Ed.). SAGE.
Charmaz, K. (2006). Introducing qualitative methods. Constructing grounded theory: A practical guide through qualitative analysis. D. Silverman (Ed.). SAGE.
Charmaz, K. (2008). Constructionism and the grounded theory method. In J. A. Holstein & J. F. Gubrium (Eds.), Handbook of constructionist research (pp. 397–412). The Guilford Press. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781848607927.n14
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1996). Creativity: Flow and the psychology of discovery and invention. Harper Perennial.
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2004). Implications of a systems perspective for the study of creativity. In R. J. Sternberg (Ed.), Handbook of creativity (pp. 313–336). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511807916.018
E-seimas.lrs.lt. (2018). Lietuvos Respublikos jaunimo politikos pagrindų įstatymo Nr. IX-1871 pakeitimo įstatymas. https://e-seimas.lrs.lt/portal/legalAct/lt/TAD/96665ec26a1c11e8b7d2b2d2ca774092
Elisondo, R. C., Soroa, G., & Flores, B. (2022). Leisure activities, creative actions and emotional creativity. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2022.101060
Glaveanu, V. P., Hanchett Hanson, M., Baer, J., Barbot, B., Clapp, E. P., Corazza, G. E., Hennessey, B., Kaufman, J. C., Lebuda, I., Lubart, T., Montuori, A., Ness, I. J., Plucker, J., Reiter-Palmon, R., Sierra, Z., Simonton, D. K., Souza Neves-Pereira, M., & Sternberg, R. J. (2019). Advancing Creativity theory and research: A socio‐cultural manifesto. Journal of Creative Behavior, 54(3), 741–745. https://doi.org/10.1002/jocb.395
Hegarty, C. B. (2009). The value and meaning of creative leisure. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, 3(1), 10–13. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0014879
Hegarty, C. B., & Plucker, J. A. (2012). Creative leisure and self-expression. The International Journal of Creativity and Problem Solving, 22(2), 63–79.
Hense, Ch., & Skewes McFerran, K. (2016). Toward a critical grounded theory. Qualitative Research Journal, 16(4), 402–416. https://doi.org/10.1108/QRJ-08-2015-0073
Hopf, Ch. (2005). Research ethics and qualitative research. In U. Flick, E. von Kardorff, & I. Steinke (Eds.). A companion to qualitative research (pp. 334–339). SAGE Publications.
Ismailovich, S. A. (2021). Socio-psychological problems of educating an independent-minded. Creative person in the educational process. Central Asian Journal of Literature, Philosophy and Culture, 2(12), 4–7.
Iwasaki, Y. (2017). Contributions of leisure to “Meaning-Making” and its implications for leisure studies and services. Annals of Leisure Research, 20(4), 416–426. https://doi.org/10.1080/11745398.2016.1178591
Mareque, M., Prada Creo, de E., & Gonzalez-Sanchez, M. B. (2019). Fostering creativity and communicative soft skills through leisure activities in management studies. Education and Training, 6(1), 94–107. https://doi.org/10.1108/ET-07-2018-0149
Norkaitienė, M., Šepetytė, R., & Šimėnaitė, Z. (2010). Mokomasis lietuvių kalbos žodynas. Baltos lankos.
O’Gorman, K., & MacIntosh, R. (2014). Research methods for business and management: A guide to writing your dissertation. Goodfellow Publishers Ltd.
Petružytė, D. (2013). Kliento savirealizacija kaip socialinio darbo tikslas: pagalbos teikimo organizavimo galimybės. Tiltai, 4, 139–159.
Rhodes, M. (1961). An analysis of creativity. The Phi Delta Kappan, 42(7), 305–310.
Saunders, M. N. K., Lewis, Ph., & Thornhill, A. (2023). Research methods for business students. Pearson Education Limited.
Sternberg, R. J. (1999). A propulsion model of types of creative contributions. Review of General Psychology, 3(2), 83–100. https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.3.2.83
Sternberg, R. J. (2003). Wisdom, intelligence, and creativity synthesized. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511509612
Theriault, D., & Stone, G. (2023). Promoting creativity in undergraduate recreation and leisure services classrooms: An overview. SCHOLE: A Journal of Leisure Studies and Recreation Education, 38(1), 46–57. https://doi.org/10.1080/1937156X.2021.1897904
Trnka, R., Zahradnik, M., & Kuška, M. (2016). Emotional creativity and real-life involvement in different types of creative leisure activities. Creativity Research Journal, 28(3), 348–356. https://doi.org/10.1080/10400419.2016.1195653
Zarobe, L., & Bungay, H. (2017). The role of arts activities in developing resilience and mental wellbeing in children and young people: A rapid review of the literature. Perspectives in Public Health, 137(6), 337–347. https://doi.org/10.1177/1757913917712283