How Nature-Based Leisure Activities Shape Subjective Well-Being: The Roles of Immersion and Social Context

Nature-based challenging leisure activities have become increasingly popular; however, their impact on subjective well-being has not been fully explored. Based on self-determination theory, experiential learning theory and social context theory, this research constructs a theoretical model of the impact of nature-based leisure activities on subjective well-being. The results of two surveys and three experiments suggested that challenging (vs. relaxing) leisure activity can significantly enhance subjective well-being, with immersion serving as a mediator. The moderating effects of social context (solo vs. joint) were examined. In particular, when leisure participation is with companions, participants in challenging (vs. relaxing) leisure activities tend to experience significantly higher levels of immersion and subjective well-being. However, the solo social context weakens the positive effects of challenging leisure activities. Our results highlight the importance of nature-based challenging leisure activities and social context on subjective well-being, and provide implications for enhancing immersive leisure experiences at natural destinations.