Specificity of Motivation of the Main Forms of Social Participation of the Population

Relevance. In accordance with the postmodern approach, the main driving force of social change and development are the most active segments of the population, social actors. The level of activity of the population can be measured by the number of practices of its social participation, which can be divided into the following forms: formal participation in organizations, informal assistance and helping behavior. To stimulate social activity, it is necessary to study the motivation for social participation of the most active segments of the population.

The purpose is  reveal the essence of the motivation of social participation of the population.

Objectives: measure and analyze the severity of the main practices of social participation based on the results of an empirical study; determine the determining motives for different forms of social participation.

Methodology. The empirical basis of the study was a survey of residents of the city of Cherepovets, Vologda Oblast, conducted in April 2022. 

Results. Practices of social participation are unevenly represented in its various forms. Practices of formal participation are underdeveloped. Involved in these practices, as a rule, they are motivated for themselves, selfdevelopment, gaining new experience, knowledge, personal success, career. The practices of informal participation are more widely developed, which are most concentrated in the improvement of the urban environment, charity, and volunteer activities. The motives for changing the environment, altruistic help to people and motives for personal development are combined. The most developed practices of helping behavior, where the main motive is altruism, the desire to help others.

Conclusions. The motivation for social participation has a complex multicomponent structure. The dominant motive of participation, as a rule, goes in conjunction with two or three motives from different types of motivation. The motivation of different forms of social participation differs significantly. 

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