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Influences of Resources and Subjective Dispositions on Formal and Informal Volunteering

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Abstract

This study investigated the influences of resources and subjective dispositions on formal and informal volunteering. The author examined whether resources are associated with formal volunteering, while subjective dispositions are associated with informal volunteering, using data from representative national Japanese samples (SSP-P2010 data). The results suggested that socioeconomic resources (namely education) are more strongly related to formal volunteering than to informal volunteering, while subjective dispositions (empathy and religious mind) are associated with both formal and informal volunteering. The main finding of the present study was that empathy and religious mind are the essential facilitators of both types of volunteering with different characteristics.

Résumé

Cette étude enquête sur les façons dont les ressources et les dispositions subjectives influencent le bénévolat formel et informel. L’auteur pose la question de savoir si les ressources seraient associées avec le bénévolat formel alors que les dispositions subjectives seraient associées avec le bénévolat informel. La question est abordée en utilisant les données d’échantillons japonais représentatifs à l’échelle nationale (données SSP-P2010). Les résultats suggèrent que les ressources socio-économiques (en particulier l’éducation) sont plus fortement liées au bénévolat formel qu’informel, alors que les dispositions subjectives (l’empathie et la religiosité) sont associées au bénévolat formel comme informel. La découverte principale de la présente étude est que l’empathie et la religiosité facilitent les deux types de bénévolat suivant des modalités différentes.

Zusammenfassung

Diese Studie untersuchte den Einfluss von Ressourcen und subjektiven Neigungen auf formale und informale ehrenamtliche Tätigkeiten. Der Autor prüfte, ob Ressourcen mit formalen ehrenamtlichen Tätigkeiten und subjektive Neigungen mit informalen ehrenamtlichen Tätigkeiten in Verbindung stehen, indem er sich auf die Daten repräsentativer landesweit erhobener Stichproben aus Japan stützte (SSP-P2010-Daten). Die Ergebnisse wiesen darauf hin, dass sozioökonomische Ressourcen (nämlich Bildung) in engerer Beziehung zu formalen als zu informalen ehrenamtlichen Tätigkeiten stehen, während subjektive Neigungen (Mitgefühl und religiöse Überzeugungen) sowohl mit formalen als auch informalen ehrenamtlichen Tätigkeiten verbunden sind. Das wichtigste Ergebnis der vorliegenden Studie war, dass Mitgefühl und religiöse Überzeugungen der hauptsächliche Grund für beide Arten ehrenamtlicher Tätigkeiten mit ihren unterschiedlichen Merkmalen waren.

Resumen

El presente estudio investigó las influencias de los recursos y de las disposiciones subjetivas en el voluntariado formal e informal. El autor examinó si los recursos se asocian al voluntariado formal, mientras que las disposiciones subjetivas se asocian al voluntariado informal, utilizando datos de muestras nacionales japonesas representativas (datos SSP-P2010). Los resultados sugirieron que los recursos socioeconómicos (a saber, la educación) están más fuertemente relacionados con el voluntariado formal que con el voluntariado informal, mientras que las disposiciones subjetivas (empatía y mentalidad religiosa) se asocian al voluntariado formal e informal. El principal hallazgo del presente estudio fue que la empatía y la mentalidad religiosa son los facilitadores esenciales de ambos tipos de voluntariado con diferentes características.

摘要

本文调查了资源和主观性情对正式和非正式志愿活动的影响。作者运用日本的全国代表性样本数据(SSP-P2010数据),评估资源是否与正式志愿活动相关、主观性情是否与非正式志愿活动相关。结果显示,社会经济资源(即教育)与正式志愿活动的关联较强,与非正式志愿活动的关联较弱,而主观性情(同情心和宗教观念)与正式志愿活动和非正式志愿活动都存在关联。本次研究的主要结论是,同情心与宗教观念是两类不同志愿活动的必要推动因素。

ملخص

بحثت هذه الدراسة التأثيرات من الموارد والتصرفات الشخصية على العمل التطوعي الرسمي و الغير رسمي. المؤلف فحص ما إذا كانت الموارد مرتبطة مع العمل التطوعي الرسمي، في حين ترتبط التصرفات ذات الصلة بالخبرة الذاتية مع العمل التطوعي الغير رسمي، بإستخدام بيانات من ممثل عينات بيانات الوطنية اليابانية ((SSP-P2010. تشير النتائج إلى أن الموارد الاقتصادية والاجتماعية (أي التعليم) لها علاقة بقوة للعمل التطوعي الرسمي أكثر من العمل التطوعي الغير رسمي، في حين ترتبط التصرفات ذات الصلة بالخبرة الذاتية (التعاطف والعقل الديني) بكل من العمل التطوعي الرسمي و الغير رسمي. تمثلت النتيجة الرئيسية للدراسة الحالية في أن التعاطف والعقل الديني هما الميسرين أساسيا˝ لكل من النوعين من العمل التطوعي مع خصائص مختلفة.

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Acknowledgments

This study was conducted as a part of the SSP project (http://ssp.hus.osaka-u.ac.jp/). When using the SSP-P2010 data, the author obtained the permission of the SSP project.

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  1. Graduate School of Human Sciences, Osaka University, 1-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan

    Haruyo Mitani

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Mitani, H. Influences of Resources and Subjective Dispositions on Formal and Informal Volunteering. Voluntas 25, 1022–1040 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11266-013-9384-3

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