The Harris Poll^® #97, December 8, 2004

Different Leisure Activities’ Popularity Rise and Fall, But Reading, TV Watching and Family Time Still Top the List of Favorites

No significant change in time spent working and time available for leisure

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – December 8, 2004 – What are the nation’s favorite pastimes? When asked to name their favorite leisure-time activities, the largest numbers of adults mention reading (35%), watching TV (21%) and spending time with their families and children (20%). While the numbers have varied from year to year, these three activities have topped the list virtually every year since The Harris Poll^®began asking this question in 1995.

Next on the list of favorite pastimes, but far below these top three, is going to the movies (10%), fishing (8%), computer-related activities (7%), exercise (6%), gardening (6%), walking (6%) and renting movies (6%).

These are the results of a nationwide telephone survey conducted by Harris Interactive^® among 1,014 U.S. adults between November 9 and 14, 2004.

Biggest Changes Since 1995

While new technology and new interests clearly influence the popularity of different leisure-time activities, the biggest increases in popularity since 1995 are in spending time with family and children (up 8 points) and reading (up 7 points). The next biggest increase is in computer-related activities (up 5 points from only 2% to 7%), perhaps reflecting the growing importance of the Internet. Also up, by four points, are socializing with friends and neighbors and exercising.

The biggest declines in popularity over the last nine years are in swimming (down 5 points from 7% to 2%), TV watching (down 4 points) – possibly a result of greater Internet activity, playing team sports (down 4 points), gardening (down 3 points), sewing/crocheting (down 3 points), and bowling (down 3 points).

Hours Working and Available for Leisure

The number of hours spent working (including housekeeping and studying) has not changed significantly this year. The median time spent working is 50 hours per week, compared to 49 last year. However, there appears to be a modest up-tick from 47 hours spent working in 2002, presumably reflecting economic growth over the last two years.

The number of hours available for leisure per week (median 19 hours) has not changed since last year.

TABLE 1

FAVORITE LEISURE-TIME ACTIVITIES

(Spontaneous, Unaided Responses)

"What are your two or three most favorite leisure-time activities?"

Base: All Adults

	1995	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Reading	28	28	30	27	31	28	26	24	35
TV watching	25	19	21	22	23	20	15	17	21
Spending time with family/kids	12	12	13	12	14	12	11	17	20
Going to movies	8	7	8	8	6	7	6	7	10
Fishing	10	12	11	13	9	12	8	9	8
Computer activities	2	3	3	7	6	7	4	5	7
Gardening	9	11	14	15	13	10	8	6	6
Renting movies	5	5	3	4	5	4	3	3	6
Walking	8	8	7	9	8	6	4	4	6
Exercise (aerobics, weights)	2	4	3	3	6	5	4	6	6
Listening to music	5	3	4	4	4	4	4	4	6
Entertaining	7	3	5	3	2	1	2	3	5
Hunting	4	4	4	6	3	3	3	4	5
Playing team sports	9	9	9	8	5	5	7	6	5
Shopping	3	3	3	4	3	4	2	4	5
Traveling	4	5	4	4	5	4	4	4	4
Sleeping	2	3	1	2	2	2	3	2	4
Socializing with friends/neighbors	*	*	2	5	6	4	5	7	4
Sewing/crocheting	7	4	8	4	3	3	3	3	4
Golf	6	8	6	6	5	6	5	3	4
Church/church activities	3	4	2	3	4	3	2	5	4
Relaxing	*	*	1	3	3	3	3	3	3
Playing music	3	2	2	3	3	2	1	3	3
Housework	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	2	3
Crafts (unspecified)	*	*	*	3	4	4	2	4	3
Watching sporting events	*	*	2	5	4	2	2	5	3
Bicycling	4	3	3	3	2	3	3	2	3
Playing cards	*	*	*	*	*	*	1	2	2
Hiking	3	3	2	2	1	*	3	3	2
Cooking	2	2	2	2	2	1	2	3	2
Eating out/dining out	2	2	2	2	1	1	2	5	2
Woodworking	1	*	1	2	1	1	2	1	2
Swimming	7	6	7	6	5	8	5	2	2
Camping	4	3	3	4	4	3	2	1	2
Skiing	1	*	*	1	1	1	1	2	2
Working on cars	2	1	2	2	2	1	1	1	2
Writing	*	*	*	*	*	1	1	1	2
Boating	2	2	3	3	3	3	3	1	2
Motorcycling	*	*	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Animals/pets/dogs	*	*	2	2	1	1	1	1	1
Bowling	4	3	2	2	2	1	1	1	1
Painting	2	1	1	2	1	1	2	1	1
Running	2	1	1	2	1	1	2	1	1
Dancing	1	*	2	1	1	1	1	2	1
Horseback riding	2	2	1	1	1	1	1	3	1
Tennis	2	1	2	1	1	1	1	1	1
Theater	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1

Other activities mentioned by one percent include billiards/pool, beach, volunteer work, driving and outdoor activities.

* Less than 0.5%.

Note: Question was not asked in 1996.

TABLE 2

BIGGEST INCREASES SINCE 1995

		1995	2004	CHANGE
Reading	%	28	35	+7
Spending time with family/kids	%	12	20	+8
Computer activities	%	2	7	+5
Socializing with friends/neighbors	%	*	4	+4
Exercise	%	2	6	+4

* Less than 0.5% percent.

TABLE 3

BIGGEST DECLINES SINCE 1995

		1995	2004	CHANGE
Swimming	%	7	2	-5
TV watching	%	25	21	-4
Playing team sports	%	9	5	-4
Gardening	%	9	6	-3
Sewing/Crocheting	%	7	4	-3
Bowling	%	4	1	-3

TABLE 4

WORK HOURS PER WEEK

"First, we would like to know approximately how many hours a week you spend at your job or occupation, and that includes keeping house or going to school as well as working for pay or profit. How many hours would you estimate you spend at work, housekeeping or studies, including any travel time to and from the job or school?"

Base: All Adults

Year	Median Number of Work Hours
2004	50
2003	49
2002	47
2001	50
2000	50
1999	50
1998	50
1997	51
1995	51
1994	51
1993	50
1989	49
1987	47
1984	47
1980	47
1975	43
1973	41

TABLE 5

HOURS AVAILABLE FOR LEISURE PER WEEK

"And about how many hours each week do you estimate you have available to relax, watch TV, take part in sports or hobbies, go swimming or skiing, go to the movies, theater, concerts, or other forms of entertainment, get together with friends, and so forth?"

Base: All Adults

Year	Median Number of Leisure Hours
2004	19
2003	19
2002	20
2001	20
2000	20
1999	20
1998	19
1997	20
1995	19
1994	20
1993	19
1989	19
1987	17
1984	18
1980	19
1975	24
1973	26

Methodology

The Harris Poll^® was conducted by telephone within the United States between November 9 and 14, 2004 among a nationwide cross section of 1,014 adults (ages 18 and over). Figures for age, sex, race, education, number of adults, number of voice/telephone lines in the household, region and size of place were weighted where necessary to align them with their actual proportions in the population.

In theory, with a probability sample of this size, one can say with 95 percent certainty that the results have a sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points of what they would be if the entire U.S. adult population had been polled with complete accuracy. Unfortunately, there are several other possible sources of error in all polls or surveys that are probably more serious than theoretical calculations of sampling error. They include refusals to be interviewed (nonresponse), question wording and question order, interviewer bias, weighting by demographic control data and screening (e.g., for likely voters). It is impossible to quantify the errors that may result from these factors.

These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

J22555

Q555, Q560, Q565