1
Chapter 7
Work and Leisure
I.
Contemporary Work and Leisure
A.
Compulsory education
1.
Primary contributor to modern adolescent free time
2.
Previously adolescents worked full-time like adults
3.
Without work-> more free time
a.
rise of clubs and organizations (scouts)
b.
organized sports
B.
Affluence
1.
following WWII
2.
viewed as consumers and targeted by advertisers
3.
increased autonomy with own income
C.
Time and activities
1.
29% productive activities – class, studying
2.
31% maintenance – grooming, eating, errands
3.
40% leisure – socializing, TV, sports
4.
very different than in other countries
II.
Work
A.
Early 20th Century
1.
average child left school at 12-15 years old
2.
compulsory education to age 16
3.
early 20th century was mostly adolescent workers
4.
middle 20th century – mostly students not workers
5.
late 20th century – mostly students and workers
B.
Students as workers
1.
after WWII vast increase in part-time service and retail jobs; fast
food
2.
cost of teenager leisure activities; increase in movie tickets,
records
3.
2/3 of all seniors work; ½ of sophomores
4.
most middle and upper-middle class kids; lowest for AfroAmerican males
5.
work more hours; from 15 to 20 hours
C.
Employment in America and other Countries
1.
distinctly American phenomenon
2.
not as many part-time jobs available (fewer fast food jobs)
3.
scheduling problems – European school day lasts longer and shops
close earlier with no time for work
4.
only poor people work
5.
more homework required elsewhere; 4 or 5 hours per night on
average
6.
few or no apprenticeship programs here for the “forgotten half”
2
D.
E.
F.
7.
sex discrimination in even part-time adolescent employment
Adolescent Workplace
1.
service jobs-retail, food service
2.
few types of employment available
Adolescent Work Environment
1.
repetitive
2.
monotonous
3.
not intellectually stimulating
4.
little contact with adult supervisors
5.
don’t use even rudimentary skills learned at school
Work and Adolescent Development
1.
responsibility
a.
working as a teenager does not seem to build character
1.
teen more cynical (don’t do too much)
2.
less ethical (steal little things)
2.
money management
a.
premature affluence – too much discretionary income
b.
cannot maintain same lifestyle when parents stop paying
for necessities
3.
deviance
a.
occupational deviance – rates of on the job misconduct
1. 60% had committed at least one deviant act
2. 38% nonoffenders
3. 24% frequent offenders – not compared with adults (see
fig 7.3) calling in sick; giving stuff away
b.
does not deter delinquency; may actually increase it
c.
those who work longer hours use more drugs and alcohol
especially if high stress jobs
d.
working and antisocial behavior seems related to teen jobs
being menial; repetitive, boring, unchallenging and without
adult supervision and disengagement from school and
activities
4.
work and school
a.
long hours leads to
1.
disengagement
2.
absenteeism
3.
decreased time on homework
4.
increased likelihood of dropping out
5.
decreased ambitions for future
6.
taking easier courses to protect GPA;
cheating, copying
b.
in response teachers five less homework and do
more work in class
3
G.
III.
Youth Unemployment
1.
back to drop-outs; much worse for them
2.
low-income inner city
3.
areas of high unemployment
Adolescents and Leisure
A.
Extracurricular activities
1.
athletics; ½ of all students participate
2.
music; band and chorus
3.
academic or vocational; clubs
4.
may increase academic performance; as opposed to part-time
work
5.
bonds student to school and decreases dropping out
B.
Leisure activities and socialization for adulthood
1.
athletics primary, but only for boys
2.
activities very stereotyped
a.
boys -> traditional male adult values
b.
girls -> cheerleading; feminine stereotypes; grooming and
attractiveness
3.
teen magazines only support these values and stereotypes
4.
TV overemphasizes glamorous jobs and cause teens to think these
are easily obtained; i.e. pro ball players
C.
Leisure and mass media
1.
2-4 hours of TV daily
2.
decline in TV -> increase in music and reading
a.
TV designed by adults for general population
b.
Music and music videos designed specifically for kids
3.
does not seem to increase sexual behavior even though exposure is
high; adults see more sex in media than kids do
D.
Consumerism
1.
kids have $150 - $300 per month to spend
2.
girls: clothes, food, cosmetics
3.
boys: food, clothes, big ticket items (cars)
4.
influence family expenditures