George Mason University – Graduate Council
Graduate Course Approval Form
All courses numbered 500 or above must be submitted to the Graduate Council for final approval after approval by the
sponsoring College, School or Institute.
Graduate Council requires submission of this form for a new course or any change to existing courses. For a new course,
please attach a copy of the syllabus and catalog description (with catalog credit format, e.g. 3:2:1). The designated
representative of the College, School or Institute should forward the form along with the syllabus and catalog description, if
required, as an email attachment (in one file) to the secretary of the Graduate Council. A printed copy of the form with
signatures and the attachments should be brought to the Graduate Council meeting. Please complete the Graduate Course
Coordinator Form if the proposed changes will affect other units.
Note: Colleges, Schools or Institutes are responsible for submitting new or modified catalog descriptions (35 words or
less, using catalog format) to Creative Services by deadlines outlined in the yearly Catalog production calendar.
Please indicate: New x
Department/Unit:
Modify_______
Recreation, Health, and Tourism
Submitted by: David K. Wiggins Ext:
Course Title:
Delete_______
Course Subject/Number: PRLS 611
32057 Email: dwiggin1@gmu.edu
Social Psychology of Leisure
Effective Term (New/Modified Courses only): Fall 2009
Credit Hours: (Fixed) 3
(Var.) ______ to ______
Final Term (deleted courses only):____________
Grade Type (check one):
x
_____
_____
Regular graduate (A, B, C, etc.)
Satisfactory/No Credit only
Special graduate (A, B, C, etc. + IP)
Repeat Status*(check one): x NR-Not repeatable ____ RD-Repeatable within degree ____ RT-Repeatable within term
*Note: Used only for special topics, independent study, or internships courses
Total Number of Hours Allowed: 3
Schedule Type Code(s): 1 x LEC=Lecture SEM=Seminar STU=Studio INT=Internship IND=Independent Study
2.____ LAB=Lab RCT=Recitation (second code used only for courses with Lab or Rct component)
Prereq _X_ Coreq ___ (Check one):_Graduate student status
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Note: Modified courses - review prereq or coreq for necessary changes; Deleted courses - review other courses to correct prereqs that list the deleted course.
PRLS 611 Social Psychology of Leisure (3:3:0). Prerequisite: Graduate student status. Addresses historical, theoretical,
and empirical foundations of social psychological constructs relative to social behavior in park, recreation, sport, and
tourism settings. Focuses on attitudinal, social, and motivational theories as applied to leisure-related contexts.
Department/Unit Approval Signature: David K. Wiggins
Date: 11-14-08
College/School Committee Approval Signature:__________________________________ Date:_____________
Graduate Council Approval Date:____________ Provost Office Signature:_________________________________
George Mason University
Graduate Course Coordination Form
Approval from other units:
Please list those units outside of your own who may be affected by this new, modified, or deleted course. Each of these units must
approve this change prior to its being submitted to the Graduate Council for approval.
Unit:
Head of Unit’s Signature:
Date:
Unit:
Head of Unit’s Signature:
Date:
Unit:
Head of Unit’s Signature:
Date:
Unit:
Head of Unit’s Signature:
Date:
Unit:
Head of Units Signature:
Date:
Graduate Council approval: ______________________________________________ Date: ____________
Graduate Council representative: __________________________________________
Date: ____________
Provost Office representative: ____________________________________________
Date: ____________
GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY
School of Recreation, Health, and Tourism
PRLS 611 —Social Psychology of Leisure (3)
Spring/Fall 20??
DAY/TIME:
PROFESSOR:
OFFICE LOCATION:
OFFICE HOURS:
TBD
TBD
PW1 #999
By Appointment
LOCATION:
EMAIL ADDRESS:
PHONE NUMBER:
FAX NUMBER:
PW1 #888
jdoe@gmu.edu
703-993-9999
703-993-8888
PREREQUISITES
Graduate student status.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Addresses historical, theoretical, and empirical foundations of social psychological constructs relative to social behavior in
park, recreation, sport, and tourism settings. Focuses on attitudinal, social, and motivational theories as applied to leisurerelated contexts.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
At the completion of this course students will be able to:
1. Demonstrate an understanding of the classic social psychological constructs and how they are applied in
management of leisure-related contexts;
2. Assess social psychological studies critically by preparing summaries of the theoretical bases, methods, hypotheses,
and outcomes;
3. Demonstrate a complete understanding of one body of social psychological knowledge specific to one leisurerelated focus area (including the history, various lines of research, and applicability to the student’s proposed line
of research) through class moderation.
COURSE OVERVIEW
Students are held to the standards of the George Mason University Honor Code. You are expected to attend all class
sections, actively participate in class discussions, complete in-class exercises and fulfill all assignments. Assignments must
be turned in at the beginning of class on the specified date due. Only students with extreme emergencies, a documented
medical excuse or university-sponsored functions discussed with the professor prior to the due date will be given
consideration for exception. Please see the professor for further clarification on individual cases. It is recommended that
students make copies of all written work submitted.
All written work should adhere to the American Psychological Association (APA) 5th edition guidelines for format. Please
use 12-point font, 1” margins, and double-space submitted work.
Students will be required to check their GMU e-mails daily as well as the course Blackboard at http://courses.gmu.edu for
this course.
REQUIRED READINGS
Tesser, A. (1995). Advanced Social Psychology. McGraw-Hill, Inc.: U.S.
Articles as assigned per weekly schedule.
EVALUATION
This course will be graded on a point system, with a total of 100 possible points.
Proposed Study: Students are to write a semester paper of a proposed study. The study should be based on each student’s
personal interest, and framed within appropriate social psychological theory. The proposed study paper will include an
introduction, complete literature review, and proposed methods for the study. As an alternative, students may also choose
to write a paper of existing data, including the methods used, results, and conclusions. This paper will be presented to the
class at the end of the semester.
Research Paper Readings: Each student will read the weekly research articles and post at least 2 questions or comments
regarding those articles to Blackboard prior to class.
Class Moderator: Each student will sign up to present and moderate one of the classes. For that moderator session, the
student will synthesize the required articles after which s/he will facilitate class discussion for 30-40 minutes. Syntheses
should include thoughtful feedback and critiques of the methods used, analyses conducted, and conclusions drawn in each
article. The moderators should assess the soundness of the theoretical framework as well as the contributions of the results
to the body of knowledge. Outlines, visual materials, and creative approaches are encouraged.
Class Participation: Students will be expected to attend class, contribute insightful feedback during class discussions, and
participate in meaningful, relevant dialogue during each class period.
Points
Assignments
#1
#2
#3
#4
Proposed study (Intro, Literature Review, Methods)
Research Article Postings
Class Moderator
Class Participation
30
20
25
25
TOTAL
Grading Scale (percent)
A+ = 98 – 100
A
= 94 – 97
A- = 90 – 93
100
B+
B
B-
= 88 – 89
= 84 – 87
= 80 – 83
C+ = 78 – 79
C
= 74 – 77
C- = 70 – 73
D
F
= 60 – 69
= 0 – 59
 All students are held to the standards of the George Mason University Honor
Code [See http://www.gmu.edu/catalog/apolicies/#Anchor12]
 University policy states that all sound emitting devices shall be turned off
during Week unless otherwise authorized by the professor
 Students with disabilities who seek accommodations in a course must be
registered with the Disability Resource Center (DRC) and inform the
instructor , in writing, at the beginning of the semester [See
www.gmu.edu/student/drc]
 For additional School of Recreation, Health, and Tourism information,
please visit the website at http://rht.gmu.edu
Weekly Themes and Proposed Readings*
Date
Theme/Readings to
discuss
Introduction
Self-Identity and
Meaningful Leisure
Foundation
Readings
Journal Article Readings
Tesser:
Chap.3
Waters, L.E. & Moore, K.A. (2002). Reducing latent deprivation
during unemployment: The role of meaningful leisure activity. Journal
of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 75 (1), 15-32.
Week 3
Leisure Identity and
Social Cognition
Tesser:
Chap.5
Week 4
Attitude Formation:
Foundations
Tesser:
Chap.6
Week 5
Measuring Attitudes in
Park, Recreation, and
Leisure Settings
Attitude-Behavior:
Predicting
Visitor/Attendee
Behavior
Persuasion: Cognitive
Theories
Wiley, C.G.E., Shaw, S.M. & Havitz, M.E. (2000). Men’s and
Women’s Involvement in Sports: An Examination of the Gendered
Aspects of Leisure Involvement. Leisure Sciences, 22, 19-31.
Kenworthy, J.B. & Miller, N. (2002). Attributional Biases about the
origins of attitudes: Externality, emotionality, and rationality. Journal of
Personality and Social Psychology, 82, (5), 693-707.
Jackson, E. ( 1986). Outdoor recreation participation and attitudes to
the environment. Leisure Studies, 5 (1), 1-23.
Week 1
Week 2
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
Week 10
Week 11
Week 12
Week 13
Week 14
Week 15
Final Exam
Johns, N. & Gyimóthy, S. (2002). Market Segmentation and the
Prediction of Tourist Behavior: The Case of Bornholm, Denmark.
Journal of Travel Research. 40 (3), 316-327.
Social Influence in
Recreation
Recreation
Crowding/Conflict
Issues
Interpersonal Processes
in Park Settings
Tesser:
Chap.7
Leisure Group
Processes
Motivating Visitors to
Respond
Dissonance/Class
Presentations
Student Presentations
Student Presentations
Tesser:
Chap.11
Tesser:
Chap.9
Tesser:
Chap.8
Faculty reserves the right to alter the schedule.
Bright, A.D., Fishbein, M., Manfredo, M.J. & Bath, A. (1993).
Application of the Theory of Reasoned Action to the National Park
Service's Controlled Burn Policy. Journal of Leisure Research, 25.
Mahoney, J.L. and Stattin, H. (2000). Leisure activities and adolescent
anti-social behavior. Journal of Adolescence. 23(2), 113-127.
Thomas, R.N., Pigozzi, B.W., & Sambrook, R.A. (2005). Tourist
Carrying Capacity Measures: Crowding Syndrome in the Caribbean.
The Professional Geographer. 57 (1), 13-20.
Carothers, P., Vaske, J.J., & Donnelly, M.P. (2001). Social Values
versus Interpersonal Con• ict among
Hikers and Mountain Bikers. Leisure Sciences, 23, 47-61.
Decrop, A. (2005). Group processes in vacation decision making.
Journal of Travel and Tourism Marketing, 18(3), 23-36.
Inman, M. & Brennan, M. (1994). Negative emotion and message
processing. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. 30, 181-201.