The Influence of Family and Household Members on Individual Volunteer Choices

Abstract

This paper investigates the how the volunteering behaviors of family and household members influence an individual’s decision to volunteer. Using data from the 2005 Current Population Survey’s Volunteering Supplement, I test how living with volunteers and living with people who have never volunteered affect volunteering. I find that living with volunteers dramatically increases the likelihood of volunteering, especially for religious volunteering. The more volunteers the person lives with, the higher the person’s probability of volunteering. People who live with others who say that they have never volunteered in their lives are much less likely to volunteer and volunteer fewer hours. Living with volunteers also changes the methods by which people become involved in volunteering.

Intergenerational transmission of political participation intention

“…Parents' political participation can either (i) directly influence the child's political participation intention or (ii) be mediated by other factors (that is, indirect influence) (Gordon, 2008;Quéniart, 2008;Matthews et al, 2010;Nesbit, 2012). Below, we briefly discuss the literature on direct and indirect transmission.…”

“…Within the family, young people learn to fulfill social, gender and political roles, and how to interact with the larger community. Parents today still play a central role in developing young people's political participation intention, yet it is unclear whether this process happens directly (that is, the parents' political participation directly influences the children's political participation intention) and/or indirectly (that is, the effect of the parents' political participation is mediated by several factors) (Gordon, 2008;Quéniart, 2008;Matthews et al, 2010;Nesbit, 2012).…”

Volunteering and life or financial shocks: does income and wealth matter?

“…In fact, losing any partner can be traumatic and have wide-ranging implications (Nesbit, 2012), threatening internalized habits and attitudes and straining social relationships (e.g., being a fifth wheel among married friends; Utz et al, 2002). There is also evidence that families volunteer together (Nesbit, 2013), that the partnership or family acts as a 'role center' with clearly defined roles and tasks (Knoke and Thompson, 1977;Sundeen, 1990). The household structure also influences time availability and transfers values through motivation and socialization processes, acting as a catalyst for volunteering (Nesbit, 2013).…”

“…There is also evidence that families volunteer together (Nesbit, 2013), that the partnership or family acts as a 'role center' with clearly defined roles and tasks (Knoke and Thompson, 1977;Sundeen, 1990). The household structure also influences time availability and transfers values through motivation and socialization processes, acting as a catalyst for volunteering (Nesbit, 2013). In general, separation interrupts and changes family routines and leads to psychological shifts and adjustments that arise from stress and worry (Nesbit, 2012).…”

“…In general, separation interrupts and changes family routines and leads to psychological shifts and adjustments that arise from stress and worry (Nesbit, 2012). Separation that involves children is an obstacle for parental volunteering because of both time and energy constraints (particularly for the primary caretaker), as well as psychological distress (Nesbit, 2013). On the other hand, the psychological distress may have been greater before the separation, although separated couples without children who remain alone may have less available time while singlehandedly maintaining a household.…”