TOWARD AN EXPANDING METHODOLOGICAL BASE IN LEISURE STUDIES - RESEARCHERS KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES AND PRACTICES CONCERNING QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

The nature and content of the leisure studies literature in the next c entury will be influenced by the methods that researchers employ. Ther efore the purpose of this study is to explore the current attitudes, k nowledge and practices concerning qualitative research of a group of a ctive North American leisure researchers (n = 115) in order to underst and the changes that may lie ahead. Findings suggest that attitudes to ward qualitative data are surprisingly positive. A majority of the sur vey respondents had undertaken at least one qualitative study and felt that qualitative data hold many potential benefits to leisure studies . A majority of the sample were favorable about graduate students lear ning about and engaging in qualitative research. Results suggest that our understanding of leisure in the next millennium may be based on a broader variety of data collection methods.