A Comparative Analysis of Discretionary Time Allocation for Social and Non-Social Activities in the U.S. 2003 and 2013

The authors investigate the factors that affect the allocation of discretionary time to social activities and non-social activities at two different time points in the United States using data from the American Time Use Survey (ATUS). Between 2003 and 2013 a variety of hand held and other personal web enabled devices have been mass adopted. Their analysis looks at whether these changes in communication technologies have had an effect on the time people allocate for social activities. Using ATUS, they first exclude time spent on mandatory activities and then separate the remaining time as social activity time (including both face-to-face and non-face-to-face social activities) and non-social activity time. Summary statistics from the two time points show that largely the allocation of time to mandatory, social, and non-social activities has remained stable despite many changes in communication technologies. The authors also find that average leisure time spent alone has increased by 25 minutes between 2003 to 2013. In addition, they used five doubly censored Tobit models to investigate time allocation for social and non-social activities. Overall, they find that gender, age, household structure, higher education and work hours have a significant impact on time apportionment to social activities.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee ADB10 Standing Committee on Traveler Behavior and Values. Alternate title: Comparative Analysis of Time Allocation for Social Activities in the United States Between 2003 and 2013.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Li, Moyin
  • Tilahun, Nebiyou
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 95th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2016-1-10 to 2016-1-14
• Date: 2016

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 18p
• Monograph Title: TRB 95th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Activity choices; Alternatives analysis; Social factors; Time
• Identifier Terms: American Time Use Survey
• Geographic Terms: United States
• Subject Areas: Planning and Forecasting; Society; Transportation (General); I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01589958
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 16-2784
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Feb 8 2016 10:36AM