The Generational Portrait Study A Source for Indicators of Civic Life Skills

The Generational Portrait The Generational Portrait StudyStudy

A Source for Indicators of A Source for Indicators of

Civic Life SkillsCivic Life Skills

The Civic and Political Health of The Civic and Political Health of the Nation: the Nation:

A Generational PortraitA Generational Portrait

Funded by a grant from The Pew Charitable Funded by a grant from The Pew Charitable TrustsTrusts

Project Overview: Two Key GoalsProject Overview: Two Key Goals

To assess the civic health of the To assess the civic health of the American public, with a focus on American public, with a focus on youthyouth

To develop a compact, valid, and To develop a compact, valid, and reliable set of survey-based reliable set of survey-based indicators of civic and political indicators of civic and political engagementengagement

Project Phases and ScheduleProject Phases and Schedule

Spring 2001: “expert panels” with Spring 2001: “expert panels” with activists, organizers, academicsactivists, organizers, academics

Summer 2001: focus groups with citizens Summer 2001: focus groups with citizens of all ages (and one after 9/11)of all ages (and one after 9/11)

Fall 2001 and winter 2002: extensive Fall 2001 and winter 2002: extensive survey pretestingsurvey pretesting

Spring 2002: two national surveysSpring 2002: two national surveys Summer 2002: confirming focus groupsSummer 2002: confirming focus groups

Today’s Summary of FindingsToday’s Summary of Findings

Levels of engagement and types of Levels of engagement and types of citizenscitizens

Generational comparisonsGenerational comparisons

Cast of CharactersCast of Characters

DotNet cohort: age 15-25DotNet cohort: age 15-25Born 1977-1987Born 1977-1987

GenX cohort: age 26-37GenX cohort: age 26-37Born 1965-1976Born 1965-1976

Baby Boomer cohort: age 38-56Baby Boomer cohort: age 38-56Born 1946-1964Born 1946-1964

Mature cohort: age 57 +Mature cohort: age 57 +Born before 1946 Born before 1946

Activities of InterestActivities of Interest

Selected 19 specific behaviors to Selected 19 specific behaviors to measure in the surveymeasure in the survey

For most behaviors, respondents For most behaviors, respondents were asked about lifetime incidence were asked about lifetime incidence and the past 12 monthsand the past 12 months

Survey also measured a range of Survey also measured a range of attitudes and experiencesattitudes and experiences

The Dimensions of EngagementThe Dimensions of Engagement

Many different ways in which citizens can Many different ways in which citizens can be active in the society and the politybe active in the society and the polity

Patterns of activity fell into four key Patterns of activity fell into four key dimensions:dimensions:– CivicCivic activity activity – Electoral Electoral activityactivity– Political voicePolitical voice– Underlying all of these:Underlying all of these:

AttentivenessAttentiveness

Civic ActivityCivic Activity(organized voluntary activity focused on (organized voluntary activity focused on

problem solving and helping others)problem solving and helping others)

Regular volunteering for a non-Regular volunteering for a non-electoral organizationelectoral organization

Working with others to solve a Working with others to solve a community problemcommunity problem

Raising money for charityRaising money for charity Belonging to groupsBelonging to groups

Civic ActivityCivic Activity

14%

21%

23%

31%

31%

0% 10% 20% 30%

Engaged in a walk or run to raise money

Worked to solve a community problem

Regularly volunteer for at least onenonelectoral organization

Worked to raise money for a charity

Active member of at least one group ororganization

All DotNet

Civic ActivityCivic Activity

14%

21%

23%

31%

31%

16%

21%

22%

28%

22%

0% 10% 20% 30%

Engaged in a walk or run to raise money

Worked to solve a community problem

Regularly volunteer for at least onenonelectoral organization

Worked to raise money for a charity

Active member of at least one group ororganization

All DotNet

Electoral ActivityElectoral Activity

6%

13%

26%

33%

50%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Volunteered for a candidate or politicalorganization

Contributed money to candidate, party, orgroup

Displays campaign button, sticker, sign

Tries to persuade others how to vote

Always vote (or intend to always vote)

All DotNet

Electoral ActivityElectoral Activity

6%

13%

26%

33%

50%

3%

4%

20%

36%

32%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Volunteered for a candidate or politicalorganization

Contributed money to candidate, party, orgroup

Displays campaign button, sticker, sign

Tries to persuade others how to vote

Always vote (or intend to always vote)

All DotNet

Political VoicePolitical Voice

Signing petitions (written and e-mail)Signing petitions (written and e-mail) Contacting public officialsContacting public officials Contacting the media or calling in to Contacting the media or calling in to

a talk showa talk show ProtestingProtesting CanvassingCanvassing Boycotting or buycottingBoycotting or buycotting

Expressions of Political VoiceExpressions of Political Voice

3%

4%

8%

10%

12%

18%

23%

35%

38%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

Canvassed

Protested

Contacted talk show

Contacted media

Electronic petition

Contacted an official

Written petition

Buycotted

Boycotted

All DotNet

Expressions of Political VoiceExpressions of Political Voice

3%

4%

8%

10%

12%

18%

23%

35%

38%

2%

7%

7%

10%

14%

10%

20%

35%

38%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

Canvassed

Protested

Contacted talk show

Contacted media

Electronic petition

Contacted an official

Written petition

Buycotted

Boycotted

All DotNet

What Makes an Engaged CitizenWhat Makes an Engaged Citizen

Found citizens working in different Found citizens working in different realms: the civic and the electoralrealms: the civic and the electoral

Most of those who are active work Most of those who are active work only in one or the otheronly in one or the other

Those who work in both are specialThose who work in both are special

A Typology of EngagementA Typology of Engagement


Civic Civic ActivitiesActivities

0 or 10 or 1

2 or more2 or more


Electoral ActivitiesElectoral Activities

0 or 10 or 1 2 or more2 or more


0 or 10 or 1

2 or more2 or more





0 or 10 or 1 48%48%

2 or more2 or more





0 or 10 or 1 48%48%

2 or more2 or more 16%16%





0 or 10 or 1 48%48% 20%20%

2 or more2 or more 16%16%





0 or 10 or 1 48%48% 20%20%

2 or more2 or more 16%16% 16%16%





0 or 10 or 1 48%48% 20%20%

2 or more2 or more 16%16% 16%16%

DisengagedDisengaged





0 or 10 or 1 48%48% 20%20%

2 or more2 or more 16%16% 16%16%


Civic SpecialistCivic Specialist





0 or 10 or 1 48%48% 20%20%

2 or more2 or more 16%16% 16%16%



Electoral SpecialistElectoral Specialist





0 or 10 or 1 48%48% 20%20%

2 or more2 or more 16%16% 16%16%



Electoral SpecialistElectoral Specialist

Dual ActivistDual Activist

Two or More Expressions of Two or More Expressions of “Political Voice”“Political Voice”

42

27

46 47

74

0

20

40

60

80

All Disengaged ElectoralSpecialist

CivicSpecialist

Dual Activist

DotNets More Disengaged…Fewer DotNets More Disengaged…Fewer Dual ActivistsDual Activists

Ages 15 to 25

57%

17%

11%

15%Electoral Specialist

Disengaged

Civic Specialist

Dual Activist

DotNets More Disengaged…Fewer DotNets More Disengaged…Fewer Dual ActivistsDual Activists

Ages 25 and older

46%

16%

17%

21%

Ages 15 to 25

57%

17%

11%

15%Electoral Specialist

Disengaged

Civic Specialist

Disengaged

Civic Specialist

Electoral Specialist

Dual Activist Dual Activist

Major Findings of the StudyMajor Findings of the Study

DotNet cohort is distinctive DotNet cohort is distinctive – Low levels of trust in other peopleLow levels of trust in other people– But relatively high levels of civic But relatively high levels of civic

engagementengagement– High level of faith in government and High level of faith in government and

support for much of what it doessupport for much of what it does– But very low levels of electoral But very low levels of electoral

involvementinvolvement


DotNet cohort is distinctive (cont.) DotNet cohort is distinctive (cont.) – Very tolerant of diversity in its many Very tolerant of diversity in its many

formsforms– Narrow view of responsibilities of Narrow view of responsibilities of

citizenshipcitizenship


Civic and political engagement occur in Civic and political engagement occur in two overlapping arenastwo overlapping arenas– The The civic arenacivic arena of organized voluntary activity of organized voluntary activity

and associationsand associations– The The electoral arenaelectoral arena of elections and campaigns of elections and campaigns

Half of the public is disengagedHalf of the public is disengaged Just over 1/3 specialize in either civic or Just over 1/3 specialize in either civic or

electoral activityelectoral activity One-in-six are “Dual Activists”One-in-six are “Dual Activists”

For Additional InformationFor Additional Information

Molly W. Andolina, Ph.D.Molly W. Andolina, Ph.D.DePaul UniversityDePaul [email protected]@depaul.edu

CIRCLE CIRCLE www.civicyouth.orgwww.civicyouth.orgSurvey template and guideSurvey template and guide

A New Engagement? A New Engagement? Zukin Zukin et al. et al. (Oxford, 2006)(Oxford, 2006)

Documents

The Generational Portrait Study A Source for Indicators of Civic Life Skills