Jon Hendricks | PubMed Health

PubMed2004

Volunteerism and socioemotional selectivity in later life.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this work was to assess the applicability of socioemotional selectivity theory to the realm of volunteerism by analyzing data drawn from the September 2002 Current Population Survey Volunteer Supplement. METHODS: Total number of organizations volunteered for and total number of hours engaged in volunteer activities were utilized to obtain measures of volunteer hours per organization and volunteer hours in the main organization to determine whether a selective process could be observed. Descriptive statistics on age patterns were followed by a series of curve estimations to identify the best-fitting curves. RESULT: Logistic age patterns of slowly increasing then relatively stable volunteer activity suggest that socioemotional selectivity processes are operative in the realm of voluntary activities. DISCUSSION: Socioemotional selectivity theory is applicable to voluntary activities.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Age differences in home computer availability and use.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine whether age differences in home computer availability and use are due to variations in compositional characteristics (e.g., income or disabilities) of age cohorts. METHODS: Data are drawn from the September 2001 Current Population Survey and its supplement on computer and Internet use (N = 71,182). Patterns of age differences in home computer use are examined using Multiple Classification Analysis with controls for several measures of compositional variability (employment status, marital status, Hispanic origin and race, gender, family income, living arrangements, education, and number of disabilities). RESULTS: Even though home computer availability declines steadily with age, a portion of this zero-order relationship is due to composition effects, with their greatest impact occurring at the oldest ages. Among persons living in households where a computer is available, use also declines with age, but these age differences in computer use are less due to compositional differences. DISCUSSION: The lower rates of home computer availability and use exhibited by older persons may be accounted for to some extent by compositional characteristics negatively associated with availability and, to a lesser extent, use of computers, although unmeasured attitudes, experience, and support undoubtedly play a role.

Adult↗