Skip to main content
Kent Academic Repository

The Causal Relationship Between Volunteering and Social Cohesion: A Large Scale Analysis of Secondary Longitudinal Data

Davies, Ben, Abrams, Dominic, Horsham, Zoe, Lalot, Fanny (2024) The Causal Relationship Between Volunteering and Social Cohesion: A Large Scale Analysis of Secondary Longitudinal Data. Social Indicators Research, 171 (3). pp. 809-825. ISSN 1573-0921. (doi:10.1007/s11205-023-03268-6) (KAR id:105166)

Abstract

It is often taken for granted that social cohesion and volunteering are inextricably related. Previous research suggests both that social cohesion creates a conducive environment for volunteering to emerge and that volunteering itself facilitates feelings of social cohesion. Despite this, much of the existing evidence on this relationship is limited to cross-sectional research that precludes any assessment of potential causality. In this paper we present a secondary analysis of two large scale and longitudinal social surveys in the UK: the Understanding Society Household Longitudinal Study and the Beyond Us and Them project. Using data from these surveys we estimate a cross-lagged longitudinal model to assess the causal relationships between social cohesion and volunteering over time. Across both data sources, involving different time intervals, we find significant cross-lagged bi-directional relationships between social cohesion and volunteering. These findings provide much needed empirical support for the proposition that social cohesion and volunteering are causally related over periods of both months and years. Implications for theory and policy are discussed.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1007/s11205-023-03268-6
Uncontrolled keywords: Social cohesion, Volunteering, Longitudinal effects, Secondary analysis
Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion
B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Human and Social Sciences > School of Psychology
Funders: Nuffield Foundation (https://ror.org/0281jqk77)
Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (https://ror.org/02zqy3981)
SWORD Depositor: JISC Publications Router
Depositing User: JISC Publications Router
Date Deposited: 01 Mar 2024 16:14 UTC
Last Modified: 04 Mar 2024 10:09 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/105166 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

  • Depositors only (login required):

Total unique views for this document in KAR since July 2020. For more details click on the image.