Perceptions and Participation: Exploring the Ties Between Quality of Life and Volunteering

Abstract

This study examines whether perceived quality of life is associated with community engagement through volunteering. Using the 2024 American National Election Studies (ANES) Time Series data, I built a multi-item quality of life factor and estimated a binary logistic regression predicting past-year volunteering. The model includes quality of life, education, income, race and ethnicity, and home internet access. Results show a modest association between quality of life and volunteering. A one-standard-deviation increase in quality of life raises the predicted probability of volunteering from approximately 20 percent to approximately 22 percent, indicating that practical resources matter more. Reliable home internet is linked to nearly double the odds of volunteering, and higher educational attainment is also associated with greater participation, while income shows a smaller, yet positive, relationship. Patterns by race and ethnicity are mixed: Hispanic respondents and respondents from Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander backgrounds are less likely to report volunteering than white respondents, while the difference for Black respondents is not statistically significant. Because the data are cross-sectional, the analysis cannot determine causality. Overall, the findings suggest that improving digital access and reducing barriers to participation are promising approaches to expanding the pool of volunteers.