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Researchers have theorized that programs to promote positive citizenship should begin with an opportunity for adolescents to participate in civic activities, such as community service or political volunteering. In this report, the authors expand this theoretical perspective by arguing that programs to promote positive citizenship may need to begin by focusing on: social interactions in youths' lives, such as interactions with parents and peers and on the culture in which youth are raised. The authors hypothesize that these informal interactions socialize or "prime" youth to have the motivation and values that subsequently lead to positive citizenship behaviors. To examine their hypothesis, the authors collected data during a period judged to be one which afforded an opportunity to participate in a positive citizenship activity salient to a large percentage of the sample population. The authors conclude that their findings contribute to the field of youth civic engagement by providing more concrete evidence for the unique effects that informal social interactions have on youth, above and beyond previous citizenship engagement, religiosity, parental education, ethnicity and gender. Additionally, the authors conclude that early adolescents who have altruistic values and a motivation to better society are more likely to engage in citizenship activities later in adolescence. More specifically for African American youth, ethnic-related experiences and attitudes that are salient or matter to the youths' self-concepts appear to be important predictors of later citizenship engagement. From this finding, the authors theorize the key component of ethnic socialization to be the salience of the socialization and the subsequent citizenship activity to the youth's self-concept. The results are discussed with regard to program and policy development as well as future research directions. (Contains 1 figure and 6 tables.) [This report was produced by the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE).]

Researchers have theorized that programs to promote positive citizenship should begin with an opportunity for adolescents to participate in civic activities, such as community service or political volunteering. In this report, authors expand this theoretical perspective by arguing that programs to promote positive citizenship may need to begin by focusing on: social interactions in youths' lives, such as interactions with parents and peers; the environment in which youths live, such as neighborhoods and schools; and on promoting civic values. The authors hypothesize that these influences in early adolescence lead to civic engagement in late adolescence, and from late adolescence to young adulthood. A theoretical model from early adolescence to young adulthood is tested, incorporating insights from two previous studies of civic engagement. In a sub-analysis, authors examine the influence of ethnicity-related factors on civic engagement. Results conclude that: (1) Previous civic participation predicts future civic participation; (2) Social context influences youth civic engagement above and beyond previous civic participation; (3) Cultural context is important for policy makers and program developers to understand; (4) Promoting youths' values and goals could further promote youth and young adult civic behaviors; (5) More comprehensive measures of citizenship behaviors, attitudes and values should be created; and (6) There is not yet an understanding of how social capital promotes youth and young adult civic behaviors. (Contains 4 figures and 2 tables.) [The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) promotes research on the civic and political engagement of Americans between the ages of 15 and 25. Although CIRCLE conducts and funds research, not practice, the projects that they support have practical implications for those who work to increase young people's engagement in politics and civic life. CIRCLE is also a clearinghouse for relevant information and scholarship. CIRCLE is based in the University of Maryland's School of Public Policy.]