Community involvement in the context of population aging: individual, community, and age group-level analyses

The purpose of this study was to investigate community involvement at the individual-, community-, and age group-levels, with a focus on elderly groups. Major research objectives were to identify: (1) what factors cause individuals to be involved in their community work, (2) what factors result in differences in the level of community involvement by different communities, and (3) what factors explain age group differences in the level of community involvement.;Data from a mail survey completed by 13,692 residents from 99 rural towns, 11 small cities, and 4 metropolitan cities in Iowa were used for analysis. The results of multiple regression analysis at the individual level indicate a general support for the rational choice explanation that individuals get involved based on expected personal benefits. However, a greater variance was explained by local ties and local church attendance, supporting the view that actions are embedded in social relations which constitute social capital. Density of acquaintanceships, residential stability, and community population aging (the proportion of residents who are 75 years old or older) are positively and significantly related with community-level community involvement. The level of age group community involvement varies significantly by age group, supporting the basic assumptions of the age-stratification perspective that people and roles are stratified by age. The average level of involvement of Old-Old Groups (75 years of age or older) was significantly lower than the average levels of involvement of both Young-Old (between 55 and 74) and Young Groups (younger than 55). Age group community involvement varies significantly by community type. Rural towns had a significantly higher level of age group involvement compared to small or metropolitan cities. Finally, age group involvement is positively affected by the level of age group local ties. The current findings suggest the need to address issues relating to cultural or other structural barriers that prohibit older community members from being involved in their community

Online engagement and cognitive function among older adults

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/151363/1/ggi13749_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/151363/2/ggi13749.pd

Factors for Older Adult Technology Acceptance

This presentation was given during the Association of History, Literature, Science, and Technology Interdisciplinary Conference

Assessing the Factors Associated with the Possession of an Academic Ethic in College

Possession of an academic ethic in college is known to result in a higher likelihood of college success, but less is known about the factors associated with the development of an academic ethic in the first place. Based on an analysis of data collected from two U.S. universities we find that in addition to race and gender, college preparatory course enrollment and high school type (public or private), as mediated by social class, are associated with the extent to which one possesses an academic ethic in high school, which in turn predicts the possession of an academic ethic in college. In addition, the results show support for the positive influence of academic mentors on the level of one\u27s academic ethic in college, particularly for nonwhite and female students. High schools and colleges can make use of this information to better socialize students for the transition experience and college success

Gender Differences in the Academic Ethic and Academic Achievement

This paper investigates gender differences in the academic ethic and academic achievement among college students. We used survey data collected from students at a medium-size state university in the Southeast. Results of our analysis indicate that women are more likely to possess an academic ethic than men and that women also tend to have higher GPAs. Furthermore, regression analysis with GPA as the dependent variable revealed differences between men and women in terms of significant predictors. For women, active participation in student clubs or groups was positively associated with GPA. For men, employment was negatively related with GPA. We used Coleman\u27s (1988) concept of social capital, Chodorow\u27s (1978) psychoanalytic feminist theory, and Gilligan\u27s (1982) theory of women\u27s development in an attempt to build a potential theoretical explanation for these findings and to guide future research