Kyle Hoffmann

Annotated Bibliography

Aciego, R., Garca, L., & Betancort, M. (2012). The benefits of chess for the intellectual and

social emotional enrichment in schoolchildren. The Spanish journal of

psychology, 15(02), 551-559. Chicago

This study examined children who play chess and looked at how their involvement in the
game helped them improve as people. It states that chess improves cognitive abilities,
coping and problem-solving capacity, and even socio-affective development of children
and adolescents who practice it. Chess is one of the most popular board games in the
world. One can start it at a young age and play as they grow old. Chess also is a low-
stress game that can be played for fun or played competitively. The pressure for winning
depends on how involved you are. It is an ideal hobby because of all these
characteristics. Most importantly, starting to play chess at a young age has lasting
benefits. Involving yourself in a hobby like Chess can help you grow intellectually and
socially. The earlier you start the greater the benefits.
Derrick, J. L. (2013). Energized by television: Familiar fictional worlds restore self-

control. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 4(3), 299-307.

This article speaks about how watching television helps people feel in control of their
lives. It says that self-control is a finite resource and that when one has to exert it
constantly it becomes depleted, but that watching TV helps to replenish it. The reason for
this is because immersion in the familiar fictional world of a TV show helps the
individual feel in control of something (page 1). A great fit for my argument, this article
gives the impression that television takes people out of reality and does not give them the
opportunity to produce anything when immersed in this fantasy world. In a world where
escapism via television is the new normal for stressed-out people, this article highlights
why that path is not a productive one. A productive hobby is instead the right way to
resolve stress, not escaping to the fantasy world of television.
Fischer, E., & Reuber, A. R. (2011). Social interaction via new social media:(How) can

interactions on Twitter affect effectual thinking and behavior?. Journal of business

venturing, 26(1), 1-18.

Contrary to many opinions that believe social media destroys relationships, this article
asserts that social media is beneficial in that it promotes effectuation defined by
Wikipedia as a way of thinking that serves entrepreneurs in the processes of opportunity
identification and new venture creation. While I personally see social media as
something that can be a time waster, this article claims that it can be helpful for those
Kyle Hoffmann

who are inclined to be entrepreneurs and innovators. Taken at surface level, it appears
that this article runs entirely contrary to what I am trying to promote in my Capstone.
How is the idle hobby of social media good for fostering this way of thinking followed by
entrepreneurs? This article aids my research because it shows that the productiveness of
a given hobby could vary from person to person. Some hobbies, like keeping up with
social media, can do positive things for people but only if those people (in the case with
social media, entrepreneurs) are involved in the certain hobby for the right reasons.
Fratiglioni, L., Paillard-Borg, S., & Winblad, B. (2004). An active and socially integrated

lifestyle in late life might protect against dementia. The Lancet Neurology, 3(6), 343-353.

I am narrowing my focus for my Capstone to understanding how hobbies can help the
elderly improve their health. In the realm of mental health, this study provides evidence
for how leisure activities can keep one sharp. The study found that an active lifestyle
seem[s] to have a beneficial effect on cognition and a protective effect against
dementia. In their analysis, they compiled results from other studies to reach this
conclusion, one of which reported an association between Reading and playing board
games and musical instruments [and] a low risk of dementia and AD (where AD is
Alzheimers Disease). Reading for leisure, board games, and playing musical
instruments are all examples of hobbies one can participate in. This study provides a
clear link between pursuing hobbies and improving mental health in the elderly.
Lennartsson, C., & Silverstein, M. (2001). Does engagement with life enhance survival of

elderly people in Sweden? The role of social and leisure activities. The Journals of

Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 56(6), S335-S342

While this study profiled participants in Sweden, its findings are still applicable to my
Capstone. It found that or the entire sample, greater participation in solitary-active
activities significantly reduced risk of mortality when all other activity domains and
health factors were controlled. These findings are very helpful because this study did
not focus on people from all points of life, but instead all participants were 77 years and
older. The researchers looked at the activities these people engaged in and categorized
the activities they participated in as solitary or social and sedentary or active. It is
odd that this study found a connection with solitary-active activities but not with social-
active ones. This will add an interesting piece to my Capstone, as it does not connect
social stimulation to better wellbeing.
Losier, G. F., Bourque, P. E., & Vallerand, R. J. (1993). A motivational model of leisure

participation in the elderly. The Journal of psychology, 127(2), 153-170.

Here the study looked at what motivates the elderly to get out and get active in leisure
activities. The study observed that the proportion of people over 65 enjoying physical
Kyle Hoffmann

activity regularly rose from 50% to 63% between 1976 and 1981 (page 1). Canadians
also happen to enjoy a high life expectancy, ranked 19th in the world (link). By
comparison, the United States is ranked 42. This article will aid my research because it
seeks to identify what motivates the elderly to be active. My Capstone, encouraging
others to get out and participate in hobbies, cannot be effective unless I find out what
motivates others to participate in hobbies.
Misra, R., & McKean, M. (2000). College Students' Academic Stress and its Relation to their

Anxiety, Time Management, and Leisure Satisfaction. American Journal of Health

Studies, 16(1), 41. Chicago

This paper will be helpful to my study because it provides concrete proof of the link
between leisure and stress for people. While the people profiled in this study are college
students, these results are applicable to all ages. Since college is a time where many
people report feeling anxiety, this study helps because it illustrates how helpful leisure
time can be to the overall well-being of someone. However, the study notes that good
time management is a stronger means of reducing stress than leisure satisfaction.
Fortunately, partaking in a hobby requires one to budget time out of their day and so a
productive hobby teaches both time management and gives one a fun way to pass their
free time. A good hobby helps in both areas of reducing stress and anxiety.
Pluim, B. M., Staal, J. B., Marks, B. L., Miller, S., & Miley, D. (2007). Health benefits of

tennis. British journal of sports medicine.

Unlike the artifact on chess which focused on why it is helpful to start the hobby of chess
at a young age, this artifact focuses on the benefits of a hobby in old age. Here the study
found that playing tennis in old age improves the health of the players by giving them
enhanced aerobic capacity, greater bone densities in specific regions, lower body fat,
[and] greater strength compared to their less active peers. Some of the players I
compete against on the weekends are greater than sixty years old, and it is obvious that
they are very healthy. Having a hobby in old age that keeps one active will make one
more fit, and by extension will help that individual to live longer.
Rovio, S., Kreholt, I., Helkala, E. L., Viitanen, M., Winblad, B., Tuomilehto, J., ... & Kivipelto,

M. (2005). Leisure-time physical activity at midlife and the risk of dementia and

Alzheimer's disease. The Lancet Neurology, 4(11), 705-711. Chicago

Today a leading concern for those entering old age and those whose loved ones are
entering old age is the fear of Alzheimer's disease and dementia. As people get older they
engage in less physical activity, but this study shows how being less physically active
does nothing to stave off the possibility of Alzheimer's and dementia. But, with more
Kyle Hoffmann

physical activity in old age comes better mental health and a reduced risk of Alzheimer's
and dementia. A hobby like golf, tennis, or skiing (for those in colder climates than here
in Virginia) can be picked up at any stage of life and practiced well into old age. The
study notes (on page 709 or page 5 of the PDF) that Individuals participating at least
twice a week in a leisure-time physical activity had 50% lower odds of dementia
compared with sedentary persons. These results are clear: engaging in a productive
hobby that promotes physical activity in old age is good for ones mental health.
Verghese, J., Lipton, R. B., Katz, M. J., Hall, C. B., Derby, C. A., Kuslansky, G., ... & Buschke,

H. (2003). Leisure activities and the risk of dementia in the elderly. N Engl J

Med, 2003(348), 2508-2516.

This study profiled elderly individuals and looked at the link between leisure activities
and the likelihood of dementia. Like Artifact 7, they found an association between
engaging in mentally stimulating activities and a decreased risk of dementia. Here
though, the researchers also found a connection between some physical activities and a
lower risk of dementia, namely dancing. They could not study the effects of other
activities like golf or tennis on the risk of dementia because fewer than 10 subjects
played these sports. Articles such as this one will be crucial to my future research
because they are providing concrete proof of what I am attempting to argue in my paper
that hobbies are helpful to ones overall wellbeing.