Narratives of Youth Donations to COVID-19-Related Causes: Interpreting Their World of Meanings through Interviews

Abstract

This study analyzes youths' donation behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic from the perspective of symbolic interactionism. Intriguingly, during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan, a paradox unfolded where youth, though expected to need support, donated at levels comparable to or even exceeding those of other generations. This study adopts symbolic interactionism as its theoretical framework to understand this phenomenon, highlighting the influence of youth's world of meanings on their donation. Based on semi-structured interviews conducted with youths in their 20s in Japan about their donation to pandemic-related causes, the study found that while some young people donated with a specific purpose, others did so for reasons that may not align with the conventional explanation of donation. These young people described donating as a thoughtless act, often without any specific reason. Despite a lack of concern for the outcomes of their donations, youths were aware of social expectations surrounding giving. Instead of consistently expressing a fixed motive, youths shaped their explanations of donation through the process of expressing and reflecting during the interviews. This study attempts to apply symbolic interactionism to donation behaviors, highlighting the complex social dynamics that influence youths' donation behavior as well as how they express their behaviors.