Understanding Volunteers' Motivations

Abstract

This research attempted to examine the motivational differences between different student population subgroups. The participants in this study were undergraduate college students from SUNY College at Brockport (students, n=437; males, n=159; female, n=278; volunteers, n=373; nonvolunteers, n=64; service-oriented majors, n= 169; nonservice-oriented majors, n= 177). A survey instrument that was developed for this study included the Volunteers Function Inventory (VFI). It was used to assess the research data. The instrument measured the subjects' perception of the importance of six motivational functions (Values, Career, Understanding, Social, Enhancement, and Protective) in regards to volunteer expe1ience, gender, and major. The results suggest the existence of motivational differences for volunteering: 1) in the Values, Understanding, Enhancement and Career functions between volunteer and nonvolunteer students, 2) in the Values, Understanding, and Enhancement functions between male and female students, and 3) in the Values function between service and nonservice-oriented majors.