Am I an activist, a volunteer, both, or neither?: a study of role‐identity profiles and their correlates among citizens engaged with equality and social justice issues

Abstract

Activism and volunteering are two noticeable forms of social participation. Although some researchers consider them similar, others affirm that they differ in their frames (charity versus change), effects (cohesion versus tension), social representations, and also in their psychosocial correlates. Drawing on role-identity theory, this study based on an on-line survey explores the extent to which individuals (N = 270) engaged in activities focused on social justice and equality issues, self-identify as activists and as volunteers. We predicted and found that based on prioritised goals, and ideological, motivational, or dispositional correlates activist role-identity can be characterised as ‘system-challenger’ and ‘true-to-the-self’; meanwhile, volunteer role-identity can be described as showing a ‘system-fitting’ pattern. Cluster and subsequent discriminant analyses allowed us to study the variety of role-identity profiles, and to differentiate five forms of engagement in terms of role-identity and psychosocial variables that explain belonging to one or another type. These were ‘activists’, ‘volunteers’, ‘highly identified’, ‘undefined’, and ‘low role-identity’. We did not find psychosocial evidence about the existence of the ‘transformative volunteers’ profile, suggested by some researchers and other studies. We rely on the identity and identity process theories in order to frame the study and interpret the results. Possible practical implications are discussed.