Tinsley, Howard E. A. (1940-)

Early Influences

Tinsley completed his baccalaureate studies (1965) and master's degree (1966) in psychology at Western Washington State College where he had the distinction of being a member of the first class admitted to graduate study in psychology. Numerous experiences during his undergraduate years sparked Tinsley's interest in leisure psychology. He served as director of the student-owned lakefront recreational facility during his sophomore year, and he established and chaired a research advisory council that conducted extensive research on students' preferences for leisure programming. He was in charge of student-sponsored cultural, recreational, and leisure programs during his senior year. His master's thesis investigated the effects of leisure activity preferences on students' perceptions of leisure activity preferences. These early experiences in applying psychological theory and research methodology to the study of leisure stimulated his lifelong interest in the scientific study of leisure behavior.

Although doctoral students typically study under the direction of a single mentor, Tinsley studied with three renowned psychologists at the University of Minnesota. Lloyd H. Lofquist, Tinsley's official academic advisor, was instrumental in founding the American Rehabilitation Counseling Association. Rene V. Dawis was a brilliant theoretician whose work on the theory of work adjustment influenced Tinsley's later theory of transcendent leisure experience. Dawis's early advocacy of item response theory prompted Tinsley's selection of a doctoral dissertation topic and encouraged his lifelong interest in scale construction.

David J. Weiss was the research director of the Work Adjustment Project, which had just begun an extensive 7-year program of instrument development and research. Weiss's systematic approach to theory-based research and instrument development provided doctoral students with a meaningful laboratory in which to develop their research and scale construction skills. Tinsley's experiences under the supervision of Lofquist, Dawis, and Weiss stimulated his interest in vocational psychology and psychological measurement and led him to understand the close relation between leisure and work experiences.

Psychology of Leisure

Tinsley's (and his wife, Diane J. Tinsley's) theory of transcendent leisure experience provides a comprehensive explanation of the causes, attributes, and benefits of leisure experiences and a rich framework for research on leisure motivation. The Tinsleys and their associates have investigated more than 80 leisure activities and identified the psychosocial benefits derived from each. Based on this research, they developed a taxonomy that distinguishes among 11 types of [Page 1660]leisure activities. Their research provides the basis for counseling individuals regarding a variety of leisure-related issues. Extensive research evidence documents the validity and usefulness of this taxonomy. In recognition of his contributions to the study of leisure, Tinsley has been elected a Fellow (and President) of the international Academy of Leisure Sciences.

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