Beliefs underlying above average participation in volunteerism

Abstract

This research examined the beliefs differentiating those volunteers who do and do not volunteer at a rate greater than the average number of hours per work using Ajzen and Madden’s (1986) theory of planned behaviour as a theoretical framework. A prospective design with two waves of data collection was employed to examine the beliefs that distinguish those volunteers who volunteer more than the national average from those who do not. The first wave of data collection measured beliefs in relation to volunteering at above average rates. One month later, in the second wave of data collection, respondents reported their volunteering behaviour over the past month. Eighty-one volunteers responded in both waves of data collection. Findings from the study revealed that, in general, it was the costs of volunteering rather than the benefits that differentiated those who did and did not volunteer at a rate higher than the national average. In addition, those who volunteered at a rate above the national average were less likely to believe that there were barriers to above average participation in volunteerism than those who did not engage in volunteerism at rates above the national average. Results suggest that volunteer decision-making involves the consideration of a broader range of factors than has been examined by traditional volunteerism research.