Which social and economic characteristic is NOT strongly associated with high levels of political participation?

The characteristic that is not strongly associated with high levels of political participation is sexual orientation. While research indicates that education, gender, and age significantly impact an individual's likelihood of engaging in political activities, sexual orientation does not show the same clear correlation.

Education plays a crucial role, as individuals with higher levels of education tend to be more informed about political issues and are more likely to vote and participate in civic activities. Gender also influences political participation, with women increasingly engaging in politics in recent years. Age is another factor; typically, younger voters may have lower participation rates compared to older populations, who often have stronger voting patterns.

In contrast, sexual orientation does not inherently dictate an individual's interest or involvement in politics. It intersects with other characteristics but does not independently drive political participation rates in the same way that the other characteristics do. Therefore, understanding political participation requires looking at how various social and economic factors influence engagement, and in this context, sexual orientation stands out as less significant.