Activity theory : an empirical test among Greater Victoria residents, 55 and over
Date
1985
Authors
McFarland, Mary Jean Erskine
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
This cross-sectional study examines the relationship between informal visiting activity with friends, relatives and neighbours and life satisfaction. Visiting activity initiated by the respondent and visiting activity initiated by the friends, relatives and neighbours were analyzed separately.
The data were gathered from structured interviews with 642 randomly selected residents from Greater Victoria, 55 years and over. Random-digit-dialing was used to select the sample.
The results were that both self-initiated and other-initiated activity significantly explained variance in life satisfaction. Self-initiated visiting activity was not more highly associated with life satisfaction than other-initiated activity, and no interaction effect was found between self-initiated and other-initiated activity and life satisfaction. In addition, informal visiting was significantly related to life satisfaction, independent of the effects of health, income, sex, age and marital status.