State mobilization and volunteering: testing the effect of a publicity campaign through a survey experiment in China

Few studies have explored state mobilization strategies in promoting volunteerism. This article examines how a state-initiated publicity campaign has influenced Chinese individuals’ intention to volunteer, as well as the moderating effect of publicity framing on this process. Based on an online survey experiment, the results indicate that individuals’ willingness to volunteer and their intended duration of volunteering increase significantly when informed of a high-intensity state-initiated publicity campaign. Additionally, individual-oriented framing is more effective in enhancing individuals’ intention to volunteer than national-oriented framing. These findings contribute to the understanding of the role of the state in volunteerism.