Self-conception and volunteering: The mediational role of motivations

Maria Grazia Monaci, Luca Scacchi, Monica Giolitti Monteu

Accepted August 31, 2019

First published August 31, 2019

Abstract

Volunteering has beneficial effects both for individuals, as it increases wellbeing and life satisfaction,
and for communities. It is relevant, however, to understand the reasons for beginning this prosocial behaviour and
persisting in it. This study explores how core self-conceptions such as general self-efficacy and self-esteem may
have a role as antecedents of volunteer involvement through the mediation of different motives for volunteering.
Volunteers (n = 138, 69F) and non-volunteers (n = 112, 59F) from the same community, matched for gender and
age, were compared on self-esteem, self-efficacy, motives, volunteer involvement, life satisfaction. A path structural
model was used to investigate the hypothesized mediations. Main findings showed that self-efficacy was higher
among volunteers and that women who volunteered had higher self-esteem than women who did not. Self-esteem
had a negative association with the involvement of volunteers mediated by a career motive, and with future intention
mediated by self-enhancement. Self-efficacy played a role in encouraging people to consider engaging in volunteering
with the mediation of the values motive in non-volunteers and with the mediation of the social motive in volunteers,
together with motivations linked to using one’s own competences in both subsamples. Life satisfaction was positively
associated with the time spent volunteering each week, but not with persistence in the service and with self-esteem.
Implications may be relevant to increasing volunteer involvement.

Self-conception and volunteering: The mediational role of motivations

References

ANDERSON, J.C. & GERBING, D.W. (1988). Structural equationmodeling in practice: A review and recommended two-step approach. Psychological Bulletin, 103 (3), 411-423.
doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.103.3.411
ARSLAN, C., HAMARTA, E. & USLU, M. (2010). The relationshipbetween conflict communication, self-esteem and life satisfactionin university students. Educational Research and Reviews, 5 (1),31.
AZIZLI,N.,ATKINSON,B.E.,BAUGHMAN,H.M.&GIAMMARCO,E.A. (2015). Relationships between general self-efficacy, planningfor the future, and life satisfaction. Personality and IndividualDifferences, 82, 58-60.
doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2015.03.006
BANDURA, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York:W.H. Freeman.
BARBARANELLI,C.,CAPRARA,G.V.,CAPANNA,C.&IMBIMBO,A. (2003). Le ragioni del volontariato: Un contributo empirico[Reasons for volunteerism: An empirical contribution]. GiornaleItaliano di Psicologia, 30 (2), 369-387.
BATSON, C.D. (1987). Prosocial motivation: Is it ever truly altruistic?In L. Berkowitz (Ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology.New York: Academic Press.
BROWN, K.M., HOYE, R. & NICHOLSON, M. (2012). Self-esteem,self-efficacy, and social connectedness as mediators of therelationship between volunteering and well-being. Journal ofSocial Service Research, 38 (4), 468-483.
doi.org/10.1080/01488376.2012.687706
BURNS, D.J., REID, J., TONCAR, M., ANDERSON, C. & WELLS,C. (2008). The effect of gender on the motivation of membersof generation Y college students to volunteer. Journal ofNonprofit & Public Sector Marketing, 19 (1), 99-118.
doi.org/10.1300/J054v19n01-05
CALLERO, P.L., HOWARD, J.A. & PILIAVIN, J.A. (1987). Helpingbehavior as role behavior: Disclosing social structure and historyin the analysis of prosocial action. Social Psychology Quarterly, 50(3), 247-256.
doi.org/10.2307/2786825
CAPANNA, C., STECA, P. & IMBIMBO, A. (2002). Una scala per lamisura della motivazione al volontariato [A scale to measure themotivations of volunteers]. Rassegna di Psicologia, 19 (1), 73-90.
CAPRARA, G.V. (Ed.) (2001). La valutazione dell’autoefficacia.Costrutti e strumenti [Evaluating self-efficacy. Constructs andinstruments]. Trento: Erikson.
CAPRARA, G.V. & STECA, P. (2005). Self-efficacy beliefs asdeterminant of prosocial behavior conducive to life satisfactionacross age. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 24, 191-217.
CAPRARA, G.V. & STECA, P. (2007). Prosocial agency: Thecontribution of values and self-efficacy beliefs to prosocialbehavior across age. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 26(2), 218-239.
CARLO, G., OKUN, M.A, KNIGHT, G.P. & DE GUZMAN, M.R.T.(2005). The interplay of traits and motives on volunteering:Agreeableness, extraversion and prosocial value motivation.Personality and Individual Differences, 38 (6), 1293-1305.
doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2004.08.012
CHACÓN, F., VECINA, M.L. & DÁVILA, M.C. (2007). The three-stage model of volunteers’ duration of service. Social Behaviorand Personality, 35 (5), 627-642.
CLARY, E.G. & SNYDER, M. (2002). Community involvement:Opportunities and challenges in socializing adults to participatein society. Journal of Social Issue, 58 (3), 581-591.
CLARY, E.G., SNYDER, M., RIDGE, R.D., COPELAND, J., STUKAS,A.A., HAUGEN, J. & MIENE, P. (1998). Understanding andassessing the motives of volunteers: A functional approach.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74 (6), 1516-1530.
doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.74.6.1516
DAVIS, M.H. (2005). Becoming (and Remaining) a communityvolunteer; Does personality matter? In A.M. Omoto (Ed.),Process of community change and social action. The ClaremontSymposium on applied social psychology. Mahwah (NJ): LawrenceErlbaum Associates.
DAVIS, M.H., HALL, J.A. & MEYER, M. (2003). The first year:Influences on satisfaction, involvement and persistence ofnew community volunteers. Personality and Social PsychologyBulletin, 29 (2), 748-260.
doi.org/10.1177/0146167202239050
DeHART, T., LONGUA, J. & SMITH, J. (2011). To enhance or protectthe self? The complex role of explicit and implicit self-esteem. InM.D. Alicke, C. Sedikides, M.D. Alicke & C. Sedikides (Eds.),Handbook of self-enhancement and self-protection. New York:Guilford Press.
DIENER, E. & DIENER, M. (1995). Cross-cultural correlates of lifesatisfaction and self-esteem. Journal of Personality and SocialPsychology, 68 (4), 653.
FINKELSTEIN, M.A. (2009). Intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivationalorientationsandthevolunteerprocess.PersonalityandIndividualDifferences, 46 (5-6), 653-658.
doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2009.01.010
FINKELSTEIN, M.A., PENNER, L.A. & BRANNICK M.T. (2005).Motive, role identity, and prosocial personality as predictors ofvolunteer activity. Social Behavior and Personality, 33 (4), 403-418.
GRANT, A.M. (2008). Does intrinsic motivation fuel theprosocial fire? Motivational synergy in predicting persistence,performance, and productivity. Journal of Applied Psychology, 93(1), 48-58.
doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.93.1.48
KIRKPATRICK-JOHNSON, M.K., BEEBE, T., MORTIMER, J.T. &SNYDER, M. (1998). Volunteerism in adolescence: A processperspective. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 8 (3), 309-332.
doi.org/10.1207/s15327795jra0803_2
KIVINIEMI, M., SNYDER, M. & A.M. OMOTO (2002). Too manyof a good thing? The effects of multiple motivation on stress, cost,fulfillment and satisfaction. Personality and Social PsychologyBulletin, 28 (6), 732-743.
doi.org/10.1177/0146167202289003
KLING, K.C., HYDE, J.S., SHOWERS, C.J. & BUSWELL, B.N. (1999).Gender differences in self-esteem: A meta-analysis. PsychologicalBulletin, 125 (4), 470-500.
doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.125.4.470
MARTA, E. & POZZI, M. (2007). Psicologia del volontariato[Psychology of volunteerism]. Roma: Carocci.
MELLOR, D., HAYASHI, Y., FIRTH, L., STOKES, M., CHAMBERS,S. & CUMMINS, R. (2008). Volunteering and well-being: Doself-esteem, optimism, and perceived control mediate therelationship? Journal of Social Service Research, 34 (4), 61-70.
doi.org/10.1080/01488370802162483
OKUN, M.A. & SCHULTZ, A. (2003). Age and motives forvolunteering: Testing hypotheses derived from socioemotionalselectivity theory. Psychology and Aging, 18 (2), 231-239.
doi.org/10.1037/0882-7974.18.2.231
OMOTO, A.M. & SNYDER, M. (1995). Sustained helping withoutobligation: Motivation, longevity of service, and perceive attitudechange among AIDS volunteers. Journal of Personality and SocialPsychology, 68, 671-686.
doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.68.4.671
OMOTO, A.M., SNYDER, M. & MARTINO S. (2000). Volunteerismand the life course: Investigating age-related agendas for action.Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 22, 181-197.
ORTH, U., TRZESNIEWSKI, K.H. & ROBINS R.W. (2010). Self-esteem development from young adulthood to old age: A cohort-sequential longitudinal study. Journal of Personality and SocialPsychology, 98 (4), 645-658.
doi.org/10.1037/a0018769
PEARCE, J.L (1993). Volunteers: The organizational behavior ofunpaid workers. London and New York: Routledge (tr. it.Volontariato. Motivazioni e comportamenti nelle organizzazionidi lavoro volontario. 1994, Raffaello Cortina Editore, Milano).
PENNER, L.A. & FINKELSTEIN, M.A. (1998). Dispositional andstructural determinants of volunteerism. Journal of Personalityand Social Psychology, 74 (2), 525-537.
doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.74.2.525
PREZZA, M., TROMBACCIA, F.R. & ARMENTO, L. (1997). Lascala dell’autostima di Rosenberg: Traduzione e validazioneitaliana [The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale: Italian translation andvalidation]. Bollettino di Psicologia Applicata, 223, 35-44.
ROSENBERG, M. (1965). Society and the adolescent self-image.Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
STUKAS, A.A., HOYE, R., NICHOLSON, M., BROWN, K.M.& AISBETT, L. (2016). Motivations to volunteer and theirassociations with volunteers’ well-being. Nonprofit and VoluntarySector Quarterly, 45 (1), 112-132.
TAYLOR, S.E. & ASPINWALL, L.G. (1996). Mediating andmoderating processes in psychosocial stress: Appraisal, coping,resistance, and vulnerability. In H.B. Kaplan & H.B. Kaplan(Eds.), Psychosocial stress: Perspectives on structure, theory, life-course, and methods. San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
THOITS, P. & HEWITT, L. (2001). Volunteer work and well-being. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 42 (2), 115-131.
doi.org/10.2307/3090173
WILSON, J. (2000). Volunteering. Annual Review of Sociology, 26,215-240.

SHOW ALL REFERENCES (41)HIDE REFERENCES

College Satisfaction Scale (CSS): Evaluation of contextual satisfaction in relation to college student life satisfaction and academic performance
Ernesto Lodi, Diego Boerchi, Paola Magnano, Patrizia Patrizi
First published November 8, 2024
Relationship between perceived workplace envy and job performance in Egypt: Moderating effect of self-esteem
Nayera M. Shousha
First published November 8, 2024

DOWNLOAD PDF

Issue:

Issue 285

Keywords:

Views:

204

Downloads:

Cite the article:

Monaci Maria Grazia . Scacchi Luca . Giolitti Monteu Monica . Self-conception and volunteering: The mediational role of motivations. BPA Applied Psychology Bulletin. 2019;285(1):38-51.

CITE THE ARTICLE

2783

Self-conception and volunteering: The mediational role of motivations

Abstract

References

Related articles

College Satisfaction Scale (CSS): Evaluation of contextual satisfaction in relation to college student life satisfaction and academic performance

Relationship between perceived workplace envy and job performance in Egypt: Moderating effect of self-esteem

Article info

Issue:

Keywords:

Views:

Downloads:

Cite the article:

BPA - BULLETIN OF APPLIED PSYHOLOGY

MANAGEMENT AND EDITORIAL OFFICE

ABOUT US

Citation tool

How to cite this article