The relationship between attitude and satisfaction in individuals participating in recreational folk dance activities

The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between individuals' attitudes towards folk dances and their event satisfaction levels among those participating in recreational folk dance activities. The sample group of the research consists of 481 individuals participating in recreational folk dance activities in the cities of Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir. The research model used is the "relational screening model." The data collection tool used in the study includes a personal information form prepared by the researchers. To determine the participants' attitude levels towards folk dances, the Attitude Scale Towards Folk Dances (ASTFD) was used. The Attitude Scale Towards Folk Dances is a 5-point Likert-type scale (1-Strongly Disagree to 5-Strongly Agree) consisting of 23 items and 3 sub-dimensions (Cognitive, Affective, Behavioral). To determine participants' event satisfaction levels, the Event Satisfaction Scale (ESS) was used. The Event Satisfaction Scale is a 7-point Likert-type scale (1-Strongly Disagree to 7-Strongly Agree) consisting of 3 items and a single sub-dimension. IBM SPSS 26, one of the commonly used statistical analysis software programs, was used for data analysis. To identify differences between measurements according to the relevant hypotheses, Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests were conducted, and Spearman correlation analyses were performed to reveal relationships between variables. The Cronbach Alpha reliability coefficient was calculated to determine the reliability of the measurement tools. The significance level in the analyses conducted in this research was set at .05. According to the research findings, Mann-Whitney U test results for the gender variable showed no significant differences in ESS and the cognitive and affective sub-dimensions of ASTFD; however, a statistically significant difference in favor of males was found in the behavioral sub-dimension. On the other hand, Kruskal-Wallis test results according to the workplace variable showed no significant differences in ESS and the cognitive and behavioral sub-dimensions of ASTFD; however, a statistically significant difference in favor of the private sector was found in the affective sub-dimension. Additionally, Mann-Whitney U test results for the variable of regular sports participation showed no significant differences in ESS and the cognitive and affective sub-dimensions of ASTFD; however, a statistically significant difference in favor of those who regularly do sports was found in the behavioral sub-dimension. Furthermore, correlation test results based on the duration of playing folk dance showed low-level significant positive relationships between ESS and ASTFD sub-dimensions. In conclusion, a low-level positive relationship was found between event satisfaction and the sub-dimensions of attitudes towards folk dances.