Social Networks and Deviant Leisure Choices. An Agent-based Simulation Model

Deviant leisure has been largely ignored in leisure research [Rojeck 1999]. Stebbins [1997] observed that most of deviant leisure often takes the form of casual leisure since it involves activities undertaken in the pursuit of immediately, intrinsically rewarding, relatively short-lived pleasures. Accordingly, from the tolerable deviance perspective [Stebbins 1996] some deviant activities, such as heavy drinking and gambling are currently considered as forms of deviant casual leisure as they produce a significant level of pleasure for those who participate in them. Recently deviant activities, such as auto-theft, have been contextualized as thrill and risk within a hedonic leisure lifestyle [Drodza 2006]. Following this approach it’s possible to identify models of deviant lifestyles associated with specific sub-cultures that influence the emergence of the motivation for deviance. This perspective reveals the importance of differential associations and the process of social influence (such as social learning and communication) within different type of social networks. Building on these approaches, the present study provides an agent-based simulation model in which different types of agents (with different risk propensity), are faced on different leisure opportunities, some of which are deviant pleasurable leisure activities (with high potential benefit). Moreover individuals interact within social networks influencing each other by direct communication and learning. The aim of the study is to analyze the role of different type of social networks (characterized by different patterns of interconnections between members) on individual deviant leisure choices. The simulation model explores the impact of network topologies on the spread of some forms of deviant casual leisure.