A TEST FOR SELF-EVALUATION
YOUR “RQ” (RECREATION QUOTIENT)
Throughout history many societies misused leisure after they have earned it. In some instances the misuse of free time actually caused the downfall of that society.
North Americans have been accused of having spectatoritis—that is, spending too much of their free time watching others taking part in some form of recreation.
Many people are concerned about whether they are getting sufficient pleasure out of life. Here is an opportunity to determine your overall “recreational quotient” based on involvement (or lack of same) in a variety of recreational pursuits.
This simple, self-evaluative test for adults of all ages was developed so that men and women could rate themselves recreationally and then take steps as they wish to improve their “recreational quotient.” There is no doubt but that sound recreational pursuits can add zest and vigor to our lives.
We can appreciate that there are many ways of looking at the area of recreation. However, although we could determine averages (or norms) for a given population as to types of recreational pursuits followed, it doesn’t seem advisable to set standards in a free society.
Of course, one development of modern society has been that people are increasingly crowded together in heavily populated urban and suburban communities. This creates a problem: How can people find happiness, satisfaction, and a high quality of life despite and increased tempo of living and increasing crowded conditions?
In taking this test—i.e., carrying out this self-evaluation—please answer the questions as honestly and frankly as possible. The test is based on a scale moving from passive, to vicarious, to active, to creative involvement in life’s educational and recreational activities. It gives you more credit if you are a most interested onlooker or listener rather than a passive one. Moreover, you will score even higher if you actively take part in a particular recreational activity. The highest rating goes to the person who participates in a superior and/or creative fashion.
Instructions
Give yourself one point if you answer “yes” to question no.1 under sport and physical recreational interests. In like manner give yourself two points for answering question no. 2 affirmatively, three points for question no. 3, and four points for no. 4. The maximum score for each category is ten points.
At the bottom of each section (or category of recreational interest), total your score from each of the four questions in that section. When you have completed all of the questions in the five categories, total the scores from the different categories.
Finally, rate yourself according to the scale for your grand total, and also according to the scale for individual sections. Although in developing this self-evaluation scale, we did give you more points for active involvement, we are not seeking to establish an overall standard for participation.
After you have completed this assessment and determined your recreation quotient (“RQ”), we will offer some suggestions and recommendations for your consideration. (Please begin now on the next page.)
CATEGORY 1
Sports and Physical Activity
(e.g., golf, bowling, exercise class, walking)
1. Do you regularly at least glance through the sports section
of your local newspaper?
Yes ( ) or No ( )..................... Score _____
2. Are you a faithful follower of at least one team or athlete,
rejoicing in victory and fretting in defeat?
Yes ( ) or No ( )..................... Score _____
3. Do you take part at least two or three times a week through-
out the entire in regular physical activity (e.g., an active
game or sport, brisk walking for a mile)
Yes ( ) or No ( )..................... Score _____
4. Are you considered one of the better players in any active
physical activity or active game or sport among opponents
your own age?
Yes ( ) or No ( )..................... Score _____
Total Score for this Section................ Score _____
Scale: 10 pts. —- superior; 6 pts. —- good; 3 pts. —- fair; 1 pt. —- poor
CATEGORY 2
Social Activities
(e.g., social club, church
outing, family recreation)
1. Do you take pleasure in make nodding acquaintances and exchanging
the time of day with a number of people?
Yes ( ) or No ( )..................... Score _____
2. Do you take an interest in and attend at least one social club
or organization regularly?
Yes ( ) or No ( )..................... Score _____
3. Do you invite friends in for dinner or a social get-together
(or invite someone out) at least once a month?
Yes ( ) or No ( )..................... Score _____
4. In the past year have you been elected an officer or served
as a committee chairperson of a club or a social or political
organization?
Yes ( ) or No ( )..................... Score _____
Total Score for this Section................ Score _____
Scale: 10 pts. — superior; 6 pts. — good; 3 pts. — fair; 1 pt. — poor
CATEGORY 3
Communicative Activities
(e.g., article writing, letter
to editor, speaking, discussions)
1. Do you telephone or drop in on a friend regularly just to pass
the time of day?
Yes ( ) or No ( )..................... Score _____
2. Do you argue for a point of view even though it may mean a
difference of opinion with a close friend or committee
chairperson?
Yes ( ) or No ( )..................... Score _____
3. Have you in the past six months written one or more letters
strongly expressing your opinion to an editor, school principal,
or civic official?
Yes ( ) or No ( )..................... Score _____
4. In the past year have you given a talk or led discussion at
your PTA, church, or any other local group?
Yes ( ) or No ( )..................... Score _____
Total Score for this Section................ Score _____
(See scale under Categories 1 & 2 above)
CATEGORY 4
Aesthetic & Creative Activities (“Cultural”)
(e.g., oil painting, music, sculpting)
1. Do you like to listen to a musical concert or watch a serious
drama on television?
Yes ( ) or No ( )..................... Score _____
2. Have you attended at least three or four concerts, play, or
art exhibits in the past year?
Yes ( ) or No ( )..................... Score _____
3. Do you paint, sketch, play an instrument, or sing, etc.
regularly?
Yes ( ) or No ( )..................... Score _____
4. If your answer to #3 immediately above, do you rate yourself
sufficiently high to enter a a content or competition?
Yes ( ) or No ( )..................... Score _____
Total Score for this Section................ Score _____
(See scale under Categories 1 & 2 above)
CATEGORY 5
Educational Activities
(e.g., hobbies: ham radio, gardening,
astronomy, coin-collecting)
1. Do you like to hear or read about the learning interests of
others?
Yes ( ) or No ( ).................... Score _____
2. Are you so interested and knowledgeable in any educational or
recreational hobby (apart from one you are engaged in yourself)
that you could discuss it intelligently with an expert on the subject?
Yes ( ) or No ( ).................... Score _____
3. Do you have a “learning-interest” hobby of your own in which
you are involved regularly?
Yes ( ) or No ( ).................... Score _____
4. Are you considered an expert on your hobby, one to whom others
may turn for advice, and possibly having won an award or special
mention in the past year or two?
Yes ( ) or No ( ).................... Score _____
Total Score for this Section............... Score _____
(See scale under Categories 1 & 2 above)
NOW ADD UP THE TOTAL FOR EACH CATEGORY TO GET YOUR
GRAND TOTAL—YOUR FINAL SCORE = ______
ANALYSIS
Now rate yourself according to the following scale:
50-35 pts.—Outstanding—You may be getting too much fun and pleasure out of life. How about doing some more constructive work for a change?
34-24 pts.—Above Average—You may have achieved a balance between work and play in your life. You are evidently enjoying your leisure without having a guilty conscience.
23-14 pts.—Average—Your score indicate a fair status. You may be somewhat narrow or one-sided, or you may not have achieved much depth in anything. Check this out keeping the ideal in mind.
13-6 pts.—Below Average—You are missing some of the good things, the pleasurable activities, that life has to offer. Review and assess your goals for living.
5-0 pts.—Poor—Life is undoubtedly a tedious routine for you. Wake up and live!
RECOMMENDATIONS / SUGGESTIONS
This assessment of your personal “recreational quotient,” obviously a subjective evaluation (plus an attempt to be a bit humorous), is based on the premise that you should determine intelligently and carefully what it is that you want out of life. What do you value in your life?
Some might say they want pleasure, knowledge, and prestige, while others might stress creativity, adventure, and good health. A third group might wish for improvement of certain personality traits, a renewal of religious faith, and a continued capacity to profit from a lifelong education.
However you may rank your personal values in descending order, there is solid evidence that choosing a sound educational/recreational pattern in your life is difficult and should be an ever-changing challenge throughout life. The premise upon which this test is based is that the specific decisions you make about which free-time activities you will be involved with—and how you go about carrying them out—can mean a great deal toward the achievement of your life goals.
Some people are lucky enough to have a career in which they can find the satisfactions which coincide with many of their chosen values. But you may not a position where this is possible. This is why it is so important for you to establish your own hierarchy of values and then to select your educational/recreational pattern of living. We wish you well in this quest. . . .
Taken from WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE GOOD LIFE? by E. F. Zeigler. To learn more about this monograph, call up www.earlezeigler.com and click on the appropriate book cover.
