Comportamentul asociativ – un indicator al calității vieții

Partnership to achieve common goals is an example of social action. When it is geared towards achieving a high level of quality of life, it is a complex dynamic and therefore of interest to researchers. This study explores the associative phenomenon from the perspective of two dimensions (which define the quality-of-life paradigm), namely quality of society and lifestyles (according to Mărginean and Precupețu’s vision, 2011), but also from the perspective of the community life and social participation dimension (as stated by Fahey et al., 2003). In addition to the theoretical approach on joining organizations for social involvement (in order to achieve a better life), the results of empirical research based on the administration of a questionnaire are presented. The empirical research highlights perceptions of action in society, the determinants of associational behavior oriented towards social involvement, the motivations behind the establishment of non-governmental organizations and their relation to the concern to improve the quality of life. The present study is one section of a larger ongoing research on motivations for setting up NGOs and the development of the non-profit sector. The topic is of interest in that, thirty years after freedom of association was achieved in Romania, the exploration of the motivations for setting up an NGO has been sporadic, the study showing current aspects of association for involvement in society.