Gender Differences in Expectations Predictive of Volunteer Experience Among Older Chinese Professionals in Hong Kong

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine gender differences in expectations predictive of volunteer experience. Volunteering is one pathway to remaining actively engaged in later life and active engagement is considered one of the cornerstones of successful aging. The global feminization of aging underscores the need to consider gender differences when exploring factors associated with volunteerism. There is also a growing international interest in volunteerism among older adults. A sample of 438 Chinese professionals in Hong Kong ages 45-79, including retired (36.3%) and employed (63.7%), were asked about their expectations for volunteer work. Gender was evenly distributed, with 49.8% male and 50.2% female. Forty-three percent (43%) had Downloaded by [University of Tennessee, Knoxville] at 16:07 27 December 2014volunteer experience. A multivariate logistic regression model was fit to sub-samples by gender, and gender differences emerged. For males, married and the expectation to utilize own skills were associated with volunteer experience. For females, self-rated health, retired, and the expectation to meet the needs of others were associated with volunteer experience. These results suggest that gender differences in expectations may influence volunteer activity.

Civic engagement and social capital in ship-preservation work in Norway: The scope, impact, and demographics of formal volunteering and publicly funded engagements

“…As a study by Mjelde-Mossey & Chi (2005) indicates, utilizing skills are associated with volunteer experience by men. It is therefore likely that the gender bias registered and their differences in expectation are influencing the choice of activity.…”

The Role of Volunteering in an Era of Cultural Transition: Can It Provide a Role Identity for Older People from Asian Cultures?

“…The growth of interest in volunteering can perhaps be seen as a result of the erosion of traditional cultural roles due to increased immigration to, and contact with Western culture [48]. As Mjelde-Mossey [46] has observed, Chinese elders who migrate to non-Western societies may encounter significant challenges to cultural traditions, which accelerates cultural change.…”

“…Older Asian women have traditionally acted as caregivers and teachers of cultural values, while older men have occupied positions as leaders of the family. When these positions of significance are lost, through cultural transition, older people experience reduced self-worth, marginalisation and feelings of irrelevance, both to their families and within society, a loss of identity, networks, purpose and meaning, and a lack of certainty that the younger generation will honour and obey their wishes [46,48,54]. This is particularly emphasised in older women, as there are few other opportunities for females to experience social significance [46].…”

“…Given that generativity is only beneficial to well-being when one's actions are appreciated and respected by others [41], and cultural generativity is declining, it has been suggested that volunteering can fill this void [48]. Cheung and Kwan [50] suggest that increasing capacity for self determination may alleviate the negative influence of modernisation on cultural norms, and studies examining motives and benefits for volunteering by older people in Asian countries have, as in Western cultures, linked meaning and purpose to their experiences [48,55].…”

Gender and Religious Differences Associated with Volunteering in Later Life

“…Much of the literature on volunteerism in later life concentrates heavily on the idea of a "generic" volunteer, defining volunteers as people that freely give their time and energy in a manner that benefits another person, group, or organization (Mjelde-Mossey, 2004;Wilson, 2000). In the broadest conceptualization, volunteerism is thought to be any unpaid work engaged in by an individual or group of individuals with the intention of benefiting others (Van Willigen, 2000;Wilson, 2000).…”