This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by OMOTO, A. M. Articles by SNYDER, M. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Considerations of Community

The Context and Process of Volunteerism

Claremont Graduate University

MARK SNYDER

University of Minnesota

In this article, the authors examine the role of community in understanding volunteerism. First, the authors present a model of the volunteer process that identifies three stages (antecedents, experiences, consequences) and three levels of analysis (individual, organization, social system). Next, the authors propose two features of community—community as context for volunteerism and psychological sense of community—and articulate the implications of these features for the processes of volunteerism. Then, empirical evidence from studies of AIDS volunteers and their clients is reviewed that suggests (a) how communities and psychological sense of community encourage people to volunteer and connect with others and (b) how connecting to communities appears to be beneficial for the functioning of people living with HIV. Finally, the authors argue that explicit considerations of community can also contribute to understanding other forms of individual and collective action as well as broader civic and societal participation.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. Sturmer, B. Simon, and M. I. Loewy Intraorganizational Respect and Organizational Participation: The Mediating Role of Collective Identity Group Processes Intergroup Relations, January 1, 2008; 11(1): 5 - 20. [Abstract] [PDF]

				D. Haski-Leventhal and D. Bargal The volunteer stages and transitions model: Organizational socialization of volunteers Human Relations, January 1, 2008; 61(1): 67 - 102. [Abstract] [PDF]

				P. Safai, J. Harvey, M. Levesque, and P. Donnelly Sport Volunteerism in Canada: Do Linguistic Groups Count? International Review for the Sociology of Sport, December 1, 2007; 42(4): 425 - 439. [Abstract] [PDF]

				S. Sturmer, M. Snyder, A. Kropp, and B. Siem Empathy-Motivated Helping: The Moderating Role of Group Membership Pers Soc Psychol Bull, July 1, 2006; 32(7): 943 - 956. [Abstract] [PDF]

				M. Kemmelmeier, E. E. Jambor, and J. Letner Individualism and Good Works: Cultural Variation in Giving and Volunteering Across the United States Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, May 1, 2006; 37(3): 327 - 344. [Abstract] [PDF]

				M. A. Okun and J. Michel Sense of Community and Being a Volunteer Among the Young-Old Journal of Applied Gerontology, April 1, 2006; 25(2): 173 - 188. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J. Ramirez-Valles, S. Fergus, C. A. Reisen, P. J. Poppen, and M. C. Zea Confronting Stigma: Community Involvement and Psychological Well-Being Among HIV-Positive Latino Gay Men Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, February 1, 2005; 27(1): 101 - 119. [Abstract] [PDF]

				M. VAN VUGT and M. SNYDER Introduction: Cooperation in Society: Fostering Community Action and Civic Participation American Behavioral Scientist, January 1, 2002; 45(5): 765 - 768. [PDF]