Income and area effects on voluntary association membership in Canada

Titre{Income and area effects on voluntary association membership in Canada}
Type de publicationJournal Article
Year of Publication2008
AuthorsDuncan, L.
JournalMcMaster RDC Working Paper No. 15
Keywordseconomic disadvantage general social survey income neighbourhood voluntary association voluntary membership
Abstract

The aim of this study is to assess how individual income levels and neighbourhood context affect voluntary association membership. Using data from the 2003 Canadian General Social Survey and a multi-level approach, the nature and extent of these effects is examined. Findings reveal both individual and contextual effects on voluntary association membership in Canada. A negative relationship was found to exist between neighbourhood poverty and voluntary association membership that held even after the inclusion of controls and individual income. Individual income is also found to moderate this relationship between neighbourhood poverty and voluntary association membership. The findings reinforce hypotheses about the importance of contextual influences on individual social behaviours and previous hypotheses that individual and contextual economic disadvantage negatively influence individuals in their capacity and ability to be active in voluntary associations and access the benefits that this membership holds.

Contract Number

1137

Document URL

http://socserv.socsci.mcmaster.ca/rdc/RDCwp15.pdf

DatasetGSS (General Social Survey)
Network Reference TypeWorking Paper
Research Data Centre (RDC)McMaster RDC (Hamilton)