Associations Between Volunteering, STEM Backgrounds, and Information-Processing Skills in Adult Populations of the United States

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https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11205-023-03201-x

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https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-023-03201-x
 http://hdl.handle.net/11603/29846

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UMBC Sociology, Anthropology, and Public Health Department
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https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2325-126X

Date

2023-08-29

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journal articles
postprints
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Citation of Original Publication

Yamashita, T., Narine, D., Punksungka, W. et al. Associations Between Volunteering, STEM Backgrounds, and Information-Processing Skills in Adult Populations of the United States. Soc Indic Res (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-023-03201-x

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This version of the article has been accepted for publication, after peer review (when applicable) and is subject to Springer Nature’s AM terms of use, but is not the Version of Record and does not reflect post-acceptance improvements, or any corrections. The Version of Record is available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11205-023-03201-x

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Abstract

Volunteering, STEM education and occupation, and information-processing skills such as literacy, numeracy, and digital problem-solving skills are important indicators of a nation’s well-being as they represent civic engagement, economic development, and the human capital of the population. Although these critical social indicators have been previously examined in silos, the interrelationships are yet to be examined in the adult populations in the United States. The current study analyzed the 2012/2014/2017 U.S. Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) data of adults aged between 25 and 65 years old (n = 8,330). Results from the structural equation model showed that STEM education and occupation as well as information-processing skills independently promote volunteer participation. Also, STEM education and occupation are positively associated with information-processing skills. Yet, when simultaneously examining the mediation relationship, STEM education and occupation are no longer the promoters of volunteering. Findings from the current study can provide preliminary education, labor, and social policy implications for promoting the nation’s economy and well-being, and inform future research to disentangle complex interrelationships across the important social indicators.