Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-xtgtn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-18T14:18:32.933Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Barriers to the retention of older participants in political organisations: evidence from Spain

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 December 2015

RODRIGO SERRAT ,
ANDREA PETRIWSKYJ ,
FELICIANO VILLAR  and
JENI WARBURTON
RODRIGO SERRAT*
Affiliation:
Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Barcelona, Spain.
ANDREA PETRIWSKYJ
Affiliation:
The University of Queensland/Blue Care Research and Practice Development Centre, Brisbane, Australia.
FELICIANO VILLAR
Affiliation:
Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Barcelona, Spain.
JENI WARBURTON
Affiliation:
John Richards Initiative, La Trobe University, Albury-Wodonga, Australia.
*
Address for correspondence: Rodrigo Serrat, Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Barcelona, Passeig de la Vall d'Hebrón 171, 08035 Barcelona, SpainE-mail:rserrat@ub.edu
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

It has been argued that older people's civic engagement has benefits for both individuals themselves and the community more broadly. Removing barriers to participation is, therefore, essential. However, the multi-dimensional nature of civic participation, as well as the different issues raised by recruitment and retention, complicate this. This study explores the barriers to retention of Spanish older people in political organisations, as one important type of participation that has received little attention in the literature to date. A total of 192 people aged 65 and over and actively engaged in three kinds of political organisation participated in this study. Participants answered an open-ended question regarding perceived barriers to continued involvement. Results show a range of reasons for potential future disengagement from political organisations. These barriers fit into three overarching categories related to changes in means, motives or the opportunity context for participation. Means-related barriers were by far the most frequently identified type of barrier. Both the type of organisation and some socio-demographic and participatory characteristics have an impact on the reasons respondents indicated they may potentially stop participating in future. Results suggest the necessity of a more nuanced and multi-faceted approach to understanding barriers to participation. Particularly, the development of retention strategies by political organisations should take into account the specific characteristics of the individuals and organisations they are targeting.

Keywords

political participationbarrierspolitical behaviourageingretention
Type
Articles
Information
Ageing & Society , Volume 37 , Issue 3 , March 2017 , pp. 581 - 606
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2015 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Adler, G., Schwartz, J. and Kuskowski, M. 2007. An exploratory study of older adults’ participation in civic action. Clinical Gerontologist, 31, 2, 37–41.Google Scholar
Adler, R. and Goggin, J. 2005. What do we mean by ‘civic engagement’? Journal of Transformative Education, 3, 3, 236–53.Google Scholar
Anderson, N. D., Kroger, E., Dawson, D. R., Binns, M. A., Caspi, E., Damianakis, T., Wagner, L. M., Bernstein, S. and Cook, S. L. 2014. The benefits associated with volunteering among seniors: a critical review and recommendations for future research. Psychological Bulletin, 140, 6, 1505–33.Google Scholar
Balandin, S., Llewellyn, G., Dew, A., Ballin, L. and Schneider, J. 2006. Older disabled workers’ perceptions of volunteering. Disability & Society, 21, 7, 677–92.Google Scholar
Berger, B. 2009. Political theory, political science and the end of civic engagement. Perspectives on Politics, 7, 2, 335–50.Google Scholar
Binstock, R. 2000. Older people and voting participation: past and future. The Gerontologist, 40, 1, 18–31.Google Scholar
Burr, J., Caro, F. and Moorhead, J. 2002. Productive aging and civic participation. Journal of Aging Studies, 16, 1, 87–105.Google Scholar
Burr, J., Choi, N., Mutchler, J. and Caro, F. 2005. Caregiving and volunteering: are private and public helping behaviors linked? Journals of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 60B, 5, S247–56.Google Scholar
Celdrán, M. and Villar, F. 2007. Volunteering among older Spanish adults: does the type of organization matter? Educational Gerontology, 33, 3, 237–51.Google Scholar
Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas 2011. Sondeo postelectoral elecciones generales 2011. Available online at http://www.cis.es/cis/opencm/ES/1_encuestas/estudios/ver.jsp?estudio=12604 [Accessed 20 August 2015].Google Scholar
Chau, R. C. M. 2007. The Involvement of Chinese Older People in Policy and Practice: Aspirations and Expectations. Joseph Rowntree Foundation, York, UK.Google Scholar
Colby, A. and Damon, W. 1992. Some Do Care: Contemporary Lives of Moral Commitment. Macmillan, New York.Google Scholar
Cutler, S. J., Hendricks, J. and O'Neill, G. 2011. Civic engagement and aging. In Binstock, R. H. and George, L. K. (eds), Handbook of Aging and the Social Sciences. Seventh edition, Elsevier, London, 221–33.Google Scholar
Davis, S., Crothers, N., Grant, J., Young, S. and Smith, K. 2012. Being involved in the country: productive ageing in different types of rural communities. Journal of Rural Studies, 28, 4, 338–46.Google Scholar
Dewar, B., Jones, C. and O'May, F. 2004. Involving Older People: Lessons for Community Planning. Scottish Executive Social Research, Edinburgh, UK.Google Scholar
Gele, A. A. and Harsløf, I. 2012. Barriers and facilitators to civic engagement among elderly African immigrants in Oslo. Journal of Immigrant Minority Health, 14, 1, 166–74.Google Scholar
Goerres, A. 2009. The Political Participation of Older People in Europe: The Greying of Our Democracies. Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke, UK.Google Scholar
Gonzales, E., Matz-Costa, C. and Morrow-Howell, N. 2015. Increasing the opportunities for the productive engagement of older adults: a response to population aging. The Gerontologist, 55, 2, 252–61.Google Scholar
Gould, N. 2007. Barriers to Engagement: From Understanding to Action. Welsh Institute for Health & Social Care, Trefforest, UK.Google Scholar
Grube, J. A. and Piliavin, J. A. 2000. Role identity, organizational experiences, and volunteer performance. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 26, 9, 1108–19.Google Scholar
Harré, N., Tepavac, S. and Bullen, P. 2009. Integrity, efficacy and community in the stories of political activists. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 6, 4, 330–45.Google Scholar
Hayden, C., Boaz, A. and Taylor, F. 1999. Attitudes and Aspirations of Older People: A Qualitative Study. Department of Social Security, Leeds, UK.Google Scholar
Hutchinson, S. L. and Wexler, B. 2007. Is ‘raging’ good for health? Older women's participation in the Raging Grannies. Health Care for Women International, 28, 1, 88–118.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Instituto de Mayores y Servicios Sociales 2008. La participación social de las personas mayores. Instituto de Mayores y Servicios Sociales, Madrid.Google Scholar
Instituto de Mayores y Servicios Sociales 2014. Las personas mayores en España: datos estadísticos estatales y por comunidades autónomas. Instituto de Mayores y Servicios Sociales, Madrid.Google Scholar
Kaase, M. 1999. Interpersonal trust, political trust and non-institutionalised political participation in Western Europe. West European Politics, 22, 3, 1–21.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kam, P., Cheung, C., Chan, W. and Leung, K. 1999. Mobilized or civic minded: factors affecting the political participation of senior citizens. Research on Aging, 21, 5, 627–56.Google Scholar
Kiecolt, K. 2000. Self-change in social movements. In Stryker, S., Owens, T. and White, R. (eds), Self, Identity, and Social Movements. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 110–31.Google Scholar
Krippendorff, K. 2013. Content Analysis: An Introduction to its Methodology. Third edition, Sage, Thousand Oaks, California.Google Scholar
Kruse, A. and Schmitt, E. 2015. Shared responsibility and civic engagement in very old age. Research in Human Development, 12, 1/2, 133–48.Google Scholar
Landis, J. and Koch, G. 1977. The measurement of observer agreement for categorical data. Biometrics, 33, 1, 159–74.Google Scholar
Love, J. 2004. Political Behavior and Values Across the Generations: A Summary of Selected Findings. AARP, Washington DC.Google Scholar
Martinez, I., Crooks, D., Kim, K. and Tanner, E. 2011. Invisible civic engagement among older adults: valuing the contributions of informal volunteering. Journal of Cross-cultural Gerontology, 26, 1, 23–37.Google Scholar
Mcbride, A. M., Sherraden, M. S. and Pritzker, S. 2006. Civic engagement among low-income and low-wealth families: in their words. Family Relations, 55, 2, 152–62.Google Scholar
Melo, D. F. and Stockemer, D. 2014. Age and political participation in Germany, France and the UK: a comparative analysis. Comparative European Politics, 12, 1, 33–53.Google Scholar
Morales, L. 2004. Institutions, mobilisation, and political participation: political membership in Western countries. Unpublished PhD thesis. Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Ciencias Sociales - Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.Google Scholar
Morrow-Howell, N., Lee, Y. S., Mccrary, S. and Mcbride, A. 2014. Volunteering as a pathway to productive and social engagement among older adults. Health Education & Behavior, 41, 1, 84S–90S.Google Scholar
Neill, G. O., Morrow-Howell, N. and Wilson, S. F. 2011. Volunteering in later life: from disengagement to civic engagement. In Settersten, R. A. and Angel, J. L. (eds), Handbook of Sociology of Aging. Springer, New York, 333–50.Google Scholar
Nygard, M. and Jakobsson, G. 2013 a. Political participation of older adults in Scandinavia: the civic voluntarism model revisited? International Journal of Ageing and Later Life, 8, 1, 65–96.Google Scholar
Nygard, M. and Jakobsson, G. 2013 b. Senior citizens and political participation: evidence from a Finnish regional study. Ageing & Society, 33, 1, 159–80.Google Scholar
Petriwskyj, A. and Warburton, J. 2007. Motivations and barriers to volunteering by seniors: a critical review of the literature. International Journal of Volunteer Administration, 24, 6, 3–25.Google Scholar
Petriwskyj, A., Warburton, J., Everingham, J. and Cuthill, M. 2012. Diversity and inclusion in local governance: an Australian study of seniors’ participation. Journal of Aging Studies, 26, 2, 182–91.Google Scholar
Postle, K., Wright, P. and Beresford, P. 2005. Older people's participation in political activity making their voices heard: a potential support role for welfare professionals in countering ageism and social exclusion. Practice, 17, 3, 173–89.Google Scholar
Principi, A., Chiatti, C., Lamura, G. and Frerichs, F. 2012. The engagement of older people in civil society organizations. Educational Gerontology, 38, 2, 83–106.Google Scholar
Putnam, R. D. 2000. Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community. Simon and Schuster, New York.Google Scholar
Quintelier, E. 2007. Differences in political participation between young and old people. Contemporary Politics, 13, 2, 165–80.Google Scholar
Reed, J., Cook, G., Bolter, V. and Douglas, B. 2006. Older People ‘Getting Things Done’: Involvement in Policy and Planning Initiatives. Joseph Rowntree Foundation, York, UK.Google Scholar
Serrat, R., Villar, F. and Celdrán, M. 2015. Factors associated with Spanish older people's membership in political organizations: the role of active aging activities. European Journal of Ageing, 12, 3, 239–247.Google Scholar
Tang, F., Morrow-Howell, N. and Choi, E. 2010. Why do older adult volunteers stop volunteering? Ageing & Society, 30, 5, 859–78.Google Scholar
Vaismoradi, M., Turunen, H. and Bondas, T. 2013. Content analysis and thematic analysis: implications for conducting a qualitative descriptive study. Nursing and Health Sciences, 15, 3, 398–405.Google Scholar
Vegeris, S., Barnes, H., Campbell-Barr, V., Mackinnon, K. and Taylor, R. 2007. Beyond the Tick Box: Older Citizen Engagement in UK Local Government. Policy Studies Institute, London.Google Scholar
Verba, S., Scholzman, K. and Brady, H. 1995. Voice and Equality: Civic Voluntarism in American Politics. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts.Google Scholar
Warburton, J., Paynter, J. and Petriwskyj, A. 2007. Volunteering as a productive aging activity: incentives and barriers to volunteering by Australian seniors. Journal of Applied Gerontology, 26, 4, 333–54.Google Scholar