Citizen engagement in coproductive community services: examining the influence of community attachment, trust in the local government, and the leadership of local elected officials

ABSTRACT

Using survey data from 20,271 residents around the U.S., the present study examines whether community attachment, trust in the local government, and the leadership of local elected officials are associated with citizen engagement in coproduction of community services: volunteering, attending local public meetings, and working with others to make change in the community. The present study found that community attachment plays a critical role in promoting volunteering and working with others to change the community. Furthermore, trust in local government was positively associated with volunteering for a local endeavor. Interestingly, when citizens had high trust in their local governments, the levels of attending local public meetings were decreased. However, the leadership of local elected officials was not predictive of the three coproductive community services. These findings contribute to the literature by describing an important role of community-centered motivation and local government that could enhance citizen engagement in coproducing community services.

KEYWORDS:

• Community attachment
• trust in the local government
• local elected officials
• leadership
• community development
• coproduction

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. https://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/2010_census/cb11-cn124.html

2. https://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/2010_census/cb11-cn147.html#:~:text=Of%20the%20total%202010%20Census,were%20male%20(49.2%20percent).

3. https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2010/demo/race/ppl-ba10.html

4. https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2011/2011016/outcomes.asp?type=8#:~:text=Educational%20Attainment,-Americans%20are%20completing&text=The%20percentage%20of%20the%20adult,26%20percent%20to%2030%20percent

5. https://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/income_wealth/cb11-157.html#:~:text=Real%20median%20household%20income%20in,increase%20in%20the%20poverty%20rate.

6. https://www.hhs.gov/guidance/document/defining-rural-population#:~:text=In%20the%202010%20Census%2C%2059.5,is%20still%20classified%20as%20rural.