Perceived social contribution and its associations with political participation

Many people who are eligible to participate in the political process do not, suggestingthe interests of a large portion of the electorate are not adequately represented ingovernment. While some past work has found that subjective well-being is related topolitical engagement, less is known about which specific aspects of well-being mightdrive this effect. We propose and test the idea that self-perceived social contribution –the belief that one’s life and everyday activities provide something of value to society –is related to multiple forms of political participation, likely because people who believethey provide something of value to society feel more integrated with society andtherefore may be more likely to act on its behalf via political participation. Twocorrelational studies (N = 3,729) with data from distinct points in American politics(1996 and 2024) find that individuals with greater self-perceived social contributionwere more likely to intend to vote, be willing to engage in activism, seek rather thanavoid election information (Study 1), and donate to and volunteer for political causes(Study 2). Further, Study 2 provides empirical support for the previously theorizedcomponents of social contribution, providing evidence that self-efficacy and socialresponsibility underlie this construct in political contexts. Together, these studiesidentify a specific dimension of well-being that is related to multiple forms of politicalparticipation and suggests that fostering feelings of social contribution may promotedemocratic engagement.