Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Who Volunteers For Adult Development Research? Research Findings And Practical Steps To Reach Low Volunteering Groups, Michael Todd, Keith E. Davis, Thomas P. Cafferty

Faculty Publications

The present study is an attempt to determine volunteering bias in racial, gender, and age groups in an adult development study. Samples were drawn from three different types of organizations in the Columbia, South Carolina SMSA. Volunteering rates were calculated as a function of the number eligible to participate in three age groups: 1) young adult (aged 20-25); 2) middle adult (aged 40-45); and 3) old (aged 60-80). The middle group volunteered at a higher rate than the other two age groups, but this effect was restricted to the white sample. Women volunteered more readily than men, but not among …