The Determinants of Volunteering in Nordic Countries: Evidence from the European Values Survey

Abstract

Using data from the European Values Study, this study applies the dominant status model of volunteering introduced by Smith (1994) to explain volunteering in Nordic countries. Consistent with the dominant status model, male gender, being married, and high educational attainment are important predictors of volunteering. However, this study also finds that in Nordic countries, neither income nor employment status has a statistically significant effect on an individual’s decision to volunteer.

Keywords:

• volunteering
• philanthropy
• charitable behavior
• charitable giving
• prosocial behavior

Notes

¹ The Nordic countries consist of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden as well as their associated territories. While there are significant differences among the countries, they all share some common similarities like history, political systems, and a support for a “universalist” welfare state.