Research found that people who are Interested in Arts
Predicts Social Responsibility
If you sing, dance, draw, or act -- and especially if you
watch others do so -- you probably have an altruistic streak, according to a
study by researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
People with an active interest in the arts contribute
more to society than those with little or no such interest, the researchers
found. They analyzed arts exposure, defined as attendance at museums and dance,
music, opera and theater events; and arts expression, defined as making or
performing art.
"Even after controlling for age, race and education,
we found that participation in the arts, especially as audience, predicted
civic engagement, tolerance and altruism," said Kelly LeRoux, assistant
professor of public administration at UIC and principal investigator on the
study.
In contrast to earlier studies, Generation X respondents
were found to be more civically engaged than older people.
LeRoux's data came from the General Social Survey,
conducted since 1972 by the National Data Program for the Sciences, known by
its original initials, NORC. A national sample of 2,765 randomly selected
adults participated.
"We correlated survey responses to arts-related
questions to responses on altruistic actions -- like donating blood, donating
money, giving directions, or doing favors for a neighbor -- that place the
interests of others over the interests of self," LeRoux said. "We looked
at 'norms of civility.' Previous studies have established norms for
volunteering and being active in organizations."
The researchers measured participation in neighborhood
associations, church and religious organizations, civic and fraternal
organizations, sports groups, charitable organizations, political parties,
professional associations and trade unions.
They measured social tolerance by two variables:
1. Gender-orientation tolerance, measured by whether
respondents would agree to having gay persons speak in their community or teach
in public schools, and whether they would oppose having homosexually themed
books in the library.
2. Racial tolerance, measured by responses regarding various racial and ethnic groups, including African-Americans, Hispanics, and Asian
Americans. Eighty percent of the study respondents were Caucasian, LeRoux said.
The researchers measured altruistic behavior by whether
respondents said they had allowed a stranger to go ahead of them in line,
carried a stranger's belongings, donated blood, given directions to a stranger,
lent someone an item of value, returned money to a cashier who had given too
much change, or looked after a neighbor's pets, plants or mail.
"If policymakers are concerned about a decline in
community life, the arts shouldn't be disregarded as a means to promote an
active citizenry," LeRoux said. "Our positive findings could
strengthen the case for government support for the arts."
The study was based on data from 2002, the most recent
year in which the General Social Survey covered arts participation. LeRoux
plans to repeat the study with results from the 2012 survey, which will include
arts data.
Image Source: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1418313
Image Source: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1418313
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