Online Versus In-Person Associational Involvement and Informal Volunteering

Abstract

This study examines the implications of online associational involvement for informal volunteering. The analysis of the 2017 Volunteering and Civic Life Supplement of the Current Population Survey shows that people who split their time between online and in-person associational activities are more likely to volunteer informally than those who are involved online only. The results also reveal that people who are involved 100% in-person are more likely to volunteer informally every day while they are not more likely to participate in low or moderate levels of informal volunteering than others. These findings suggest that online associational involvement is not mere slacktivism but has positive implications for informal volunteering if people continue to participate in-person as well.