PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF HOBBIES

Abstract

In our present national emergency, healthy civilian morale is an extremely important factor in pressing our war efforts. At a time when every ounce of energy and every minute of time should be devoted to increasing production it may appear paradoxical to be urging the cultivation of hobbies. But high pressure production, longer hours, night shifts, increased responsibility will all add extra stress to each personality with resulting tension and fatigue. With tire and gasoline rationing, not to mention air raids, many people will be spending more evenings at home and most of us will be deprived of our week-end auto trips and summer vacation tours. Even at present most individuals are aware of a feeling of unrest and mild anxiety ; of some degree of personal and economic insecurity ; of concern regarding some member of the family or close friend in the armed forces. These feelings are much less noticeable during the active working hours of the day than during the leisure hours. Most individuals will have at least some leisure time when the need for nelaxation, escape and re-creation will be even greater than under normal conditions. If this time is utilized by the individual for his own maximum benefit in a constructive and intelligent manner, his daily work may be much more efficient and his own morale supported and sustained. Guidance in the development and maintenance of morale is largely a psychological problem, towards the solution of which psychiatnists should be and are contributing. Pointing out the four most effective methods of maintaining morale, Masserman(I) listed the “organizing, enlarging and employing as efficiently as possible the social, educational, and recreational public service agencies to meet the greatly increased war-time needs of the populace.” In the third of a series of guides for civilian defense personnel training on Fatigue: Importance and Control, compiled by the Military Mobilization Committee of The American Psychiatric Association, it is stated that of two fundamental ideas, “the first is that the individual is not a machine. A certain amount of recreation as well as rest is absolutely necessary. Recreation means doing something which is different from your work and which you enjoy doing. It should be so different from your work that while doing it you will forget your work. This matter of being able to forget your work is the real value in recreation.” Both these statements, while generalities, indicate psychiatric opinion as to the importance of leisure time activities in civilian morale. The psychological analysis of leisure time activities, despite their importance even in normal times, has received scant scientific attention. To the writer’s knowledge, except for a recent number of the Menninger Clinic Bulletin devoted to the subject, there is no psychiatric analysis of hobbies in medical literature. Since hobbies are recognized as being of benefit to the mental health of the individual and consequently of importance to civilian morale, their scientific study should provide a more intelligent approach to their introduction to a greater number of individuals. For most of us hobbies, like Topsy, “just grow.” But if we had a more accurate evaluation of their varied contributions to personal development, the psychological motivation, the methods of providing satisfaction, it is possible that many intelligent individuals would be led to adopt one as a part of their mental hygiene, just as we have accepted fresh air and exercise as a part of our physical hygiene. Many more persons might be provided intelligent guidance into such activity.