It has often been assumed that participation in voluntary associations has an effect on the development of political attitudes and value patterns, despite the fact that there is quite some discussion on the causal mechanism involved in this process. Hooghe (2003) has proposed a selection and adaptation model, assuming that actors self-select into associations, but that subsequently these members are further socialized by the attitudes that are prevalent in the association. That article (that appeared in Political Behavior), however was still based on cross-sectional evidence. In the current paper, we want to elaborate on this model, using the results of a 5 year panel study (2006-2011) among 4,000 Belgian young adults. Respondents were tracked over time, and their participation behavior and political attitudes were monitored. In line with the model, we allow for specific socialization effects, that are dependent on the values that are prevalent within specific associations. Using a five year panel design should allow us to arrive at a better understanding of the causal mechanisms involved in this process.
