WHAT MOTIVATES
VOLUNTEERING BEHAVIOUR?
HRPYC-81 – Research Report
KELCY SAVANNAH KENNEDY
UNIQUE NUMBER: 845364
Submitted: 3 October 2018
,Contents
Abstract ...................................................................................................................................... 2
Literature Review....................................................................................................................... 2
Defining Volunteering and Motivation.................................................................................. 2
Theories and models .............................................................................................................. 3
Motivations behind volunteer work as observed by other researchers .................................. 4
Altruism vs Egoism................................................................................................................ 5
Research Rationale..................................................................................................................... 6
Research Aims ........................................................................................................................... 7
Study Methodology.................................................................................................................... 7
Research Design..................................................................................................................... 7
Participants ............................................................................................................................. 9
Interviews ............................................................................................................................. 10
Data Analysis ....................................................................................................................... 10
Trustworthiness .................................................................................................................... 12
Ethical Considerations ......................................................................................................... 13
Discussion of Themes .............................................................................................................. 14
Retirement ............................................................................................................................ 14
Religion ................................................................................................................................ 15
Feelings of joy...................................................................................................................... 17
Selfless helping .................................................................................................................... 17
Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 18
References ................................................................................................................................ 20
Addendum A - Consent Form .................................................................................................. 22
Plagiarism Declaration ............................................................................................................. 23
,What motivates volunteering behaviour?
Abstract
There is a substantial body of work that explores the motivation behind volunteer
work. This is an important area of study because volunteers usually form the backbone
of the running of most Non-Profit and Non-Government organisations. This study
sought to add to existing knowledge on the motivation behind volunteer work. A semi-
structured interview was conducted on 3 volunteers from the same organisation and
the interview was then transcribed verbatim for analysis purposes. A thematic content
analysis of the interviews was done to code for prevalent ideas within the data set and
these codes were then organized into themes. The themes that explains the motivation
for volunteering were identified through thematic content analysis and are needing to
fill the gap in time that retirement results in with meaningful work, religiosity, the
feelings of joy that volunteering elicits, and a genuinely selfless want to help those in
need. It can thus be said that for this sample, volunteering is mainly altruistic in
nature and that volunteering is an experience that brings volunteers joy.
Literature Review
Defining Volunteering and Motivation
At present, I have taken a keen interest in what motivates individuals to do volunteer work. I
have done volunteering out of my own free will and am now required to do it as a prerequisite
for one of my modules. This led me to think about the possible motivations behind volunteering
that is not a prerequisite and research previous literature that sought to provide answers to this.
This section will be used to discuss volunteerism as well as delving deeper into the altruistic,
egoistic, or combined motives behind volunteerism.
Motivation is an important area of study because were it not for motivation, humans would
not have achieved all that it has to date. Motivational theory has sought to provide
explanations for what induces action in people, what guides people in their actions, and what
maintains these behaviors (Mitchell & Daniels as cited in Grant, 2008). The basis for
motivational reasons have either been grounded in intrinsic or extrinsic motivations, but some
researchers make a clear distinction between intrinsic motivation and prosocial motivation as
, it is believed to be prompted by different things. Intrinsic motivation has been described as
having hedonic rewards, whereas prosocial motivation is eudemonic because meaning and
purpose have been identified as key motivators (Kahn, 1990; McGregor & Little, 1998; Ryan
& Deci, 2001; Waterman, 1993, as cited in Grant, 2008). Extrinsic motivation is described as
effort being motivated by things that are external to the work itself, like compensation and
recognition (Amabile, 1993; Brief & Aldag,1977, as cited in Grant, 2008). It can thus be said
that intrinsic and prosocial motivation are grounded in altruism, and extrinsic motivation is
based on egoism, both of which will be discussed at a later stage.
For this study, we will make use of the US History Encyclopedia (as cited in Tutorial Letter
103 for HRPYC81, 2018, p. 9) definition of volunteerism, which defined it as “contributing
one’s time or talents for charitable, educational, social, political, or other worthwhile purposes,
usually in one’s community, freely and without regard for compensation”. Furthermore,
Wilson & Musick (as cited in Tutorial Letter 103 for HRPYC81, 2018, p. 9) defined a volunteer
as “someone who contributes time to helping others with no expectation of pay or other
material”. For the purpose of this research paper, motivation will be defined as the underlying
reasons for engaging in particular behaviours or acting in certain ways.
Theories and models
Previously, researchers have attempted to theorize and create models that seek to explain why
people engage in volunteer work. There are many different approaches that seek to elucidate
why people engage in volunteer behavior. One such approach is the functional approach which
maintains that individuals volunteer in order to perform different functions. The functional
approach is based on the notion that people engage in volunteer work for the purpose of
fulfilling vital psychological and social functions and that attitudes and actions are goal-driven
and purposeful (Akintola, 2011; Snyder, Clary, & Stukas, 2000). As stated by Akintola (2011),
these have been referred to as motive functions, and maintains that the same volunteering
activities can be done to fulfill different functions for different people.
Previous research identified 10 motives that are responsible for individuals initiating and
sustaining volunteering; values, concern for community, career-related benefits, protectiveness
against negative sense of self, a want to better understand how to help others and use skills, a
desire to enhance the sense of self, attracting good things for oneself, recognition, addressing
personal issues, and social motives (Omoto & Snyder, 1995; Clary et al., 1998; Esmond &
Dunlop, 2004, as cited in Akintola, 2011). This functional model to understanding volunteering
VOLUNTEERING BEHAVIOUR?
HRPYC-81 – Research Report
KELCY SAVANNAH KENNEDY
UNIQUE NUMBER: 845364
Submitted: 3 October 2018
,Contents
Abstract ...................................................................................................................................... 2
Literature Review....................................................................................................................... 2
Defining Volunteering and Motivation.................................................................................. 2
Theories and models .............................................................................................................. 3
Motivations behind volunteer work as observed by other researchers .................................. 4
Altruism vs Egoism................................................................................................................ 5
Research Rationale..................................................................................................................... 6
Research Aims ........................................................................................................................... 7
Study Methodology.................................................................................................................... 7
Research Design..................................................................................................................... 7
Participants ............................................................................................................................. 9
Interviews ............................................................................................................................. 10
Data Analysis ....................................................................................................................... 10
Trustworthiness .................................................................................................................... 12
Ethical Considerations ......................................................................................................... 13
Discussion of Themes .............................................................................................................. 14
Retirement ............................................................................................................................ 14
Religion ................................................................................................................................ 15
Feelings of joy...................................................................................................................... 17
Selfless helping .................................................................................................................... 17
Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 18
References ................................................................................................................................ 20
Addendum A - Consent Form .................................................................................................. 22
Plagiarism Declaration ............................................................................................................. 23
,What motivates volunteering behaviour?
Abstract
There is a substantial body of work that explores the motivation behind volunteer
work. This is an important area of study because volunteers usually form the backbone
of the running of most Non-Profit and Non-Government organisations. This study
sought to add to existing knowledge on the motivation behind volunteer work. A semi-
structured interview was conducted on 3 volunteers from the same organisation and
the interview was then transcribed verbatim for analysis purposes. A thematic content
analysis of the interviews was done to code for prevalent ideas within the data set and
these codes were then organized into themes. The themes that explains the motivation
for volunteering were identified through thematic content analysis and are needing to
fill the gap in time that retirement results in with meaningful work, religiosity, the
feelings of joy that volunteering elicits, and a genuinely selfless want to help those in
need. It can thus be said that for this sample, volunteering is mainly altruistic in
nature and that volunteering is an experience that brings volunteers joy.
Literature Review
Defining Volunteering and Motivation
At present, I have taken a keen interest in what motivates individuals to do volunteer work. I
have done volunteering out of my own free will and am now required to do it as a prerequisite
for one of my modules. This led me to think about the possible motivations behind volunteering
that is not a prerequisite and research previous literature that sought to provide answers to this.
This section will be used to discuss volunteerism as well as delving deeper into the altruistic,
egoistic, or combined motives behind volunteerism.
Motivation is an important area of study because were it not for motivation, humans would
not have achieved all that it has to date. Motivational theory has sought to provide
explanations for what induces action in people, what guides people in their actions, and what
maintains these behaviors (Mitchell & Daniels as cited in Grant, 2008). The basis for
motivational reasons have either been grounded in intrinsic or extrinsic motivations, but some
researchers make a clear distinction between intrinsic motivation and prosocial motivation as
, it is believed to be prompted by different things. Intrinsic motivation has been described as
having hedonic rewards, whereas prosocial motivation is eudemonic because meaning and
purpose have been identified as key motivators (Kahn, 1990; McGregor & Little, 1998; Ryan
& Deci, 2001; Waterman, 1993, as cited in Grant, 2008). Extrinsic motivation is described as
effort being motivated by things that are external to the work itself, like compensation and
recognition (Amabile, 1993; Brief & Aldag,1977, as cited in Grant, 2008). It can thus be said
that intrinsic and prosocial motivation are grounded in altruism, and extrinsic motivation is
based on egoism, both of which will be discussed at a later stage.
For this study, we will make use of the US History Encyclopedia (as cited in Tutorial Letter
103 for HRPYC81, 2018, p. 9) definition of volunteerism, which defined it as “contributing
one’s time or talents for charitable, educational, social, political, or other worthwhile purposes,
usually in one’s community, freely and without regard for compensation”. Furthermore,
Wilson & Musick (as cited in Tutorial Letter 103 for HRPYC81, 2018, p. 9) defined a volunteer
as “someone who contributes time to helping others with no expectation of pay or other
material”. For the purpose of this research paper, motivation will be defined as the underlying
reasons for engaging in particular behaviours or acting in certain ways.
Theories and models
Previously, researchers have attempted to theorize and create models that seek to explain why
people engage in volunteer work. There are many different approaches that seek to elucidate
why people engage in volunteer behavior. One such approach is the functional approach which
maintains that individuals volunteer in order to perform different functions. The functional
approach is based on the notion that people engage in volunteer work for the purpose of
fulfilling vital psychological and social functions and that attitudes and actions are goal-driven
and purposeful (Akintola, 2011; Snyder, Clary, & Stukas, 2000). As stated by Akintola (2011),
these have been referred to as motive functions, and maintains that the same volunteering
activities can be done to fulfill different functions for different people.
Previous research identified 10 motives that are responsible for individuals initiating and
sustaining volunteering; values, concern for community, career-related benefits, protectiveness
against negative sense of self, a want to better understand how to help others and use skills, a
desire to enhance the sense of self, attracting good things for oneself, recognition, addressing
personal issues, and social motives (Omoto & Snyder, 1995; Clary et al., 1998; Esmond &
Dunlop, 2004, as cited in Akintola, 2011). This functional model to understanding volunteering
