TY - JOUR
T1 - Understanding and assessing the motivations of volunteers
T2 - A functional approach
AU - Clary, E. Gil
AU - Ridge, Robert D.
AU - Stukas, Arthur A.
AU - Snyder, Mark
AU - Copeland, John
AU - Haugen, Julie
AU - Miene, Peter
PY - 1998/6
Y1 - 1998/6
N2 - The authors applied functionalist theory to the question of the motivations underlying volunteerism, hypothesized 6 functions potentially served by volunteerism, and designed an instrument to assess these functions (Volunteer Functions Inventory; VFI). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses on diverse samples yielded factor solutions consistent with functionalist theorizing; each VFI motivation, loaded on a single factor, possessed substantial internal consistency and temporal stability and correlated only modestly with other VFI motivations (Studies 1, 2, and 3). Evidence for predictive validity is provided by a laboratory study in which VFI motivations predicted the persuasive appeal of messages better when message and motivation were matched than mismatched (Study 4), and by field studies in which the extent to which volunteers' experiences matched their motivations predicted satisfaction (Study 5) and future intentions (Study 6). Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
AB - The authors applied functionalist theory to the question of the motivations underlying volunteerism, hypothesized 6 functions potentially served by volunteerism, and designed an instrument to assess these functions (Volunteer Functions Inventory; VFI). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses on diverse samples yielded factor solutions consistent with functionalist theorizing; each VFI motivation, loaded on a single factor, possessed substantial internal consistency and temporal stability and correlated only modestly with other VFI motivations (Studies 1, 2, and 3). Evidence for predictive validity is provided by a laboratory study in which VFI motivations predicted the persuasive appeal of messages better when message and motivation were matched than mismatched (Study 4), and by field studies in which the extent to which volunteers' experiences matched their motivations predicted satisfaction (Study 5) and future intentions (Study 6). Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
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U2 - 10.1037/0022-3514.74.6.1516
DO - 10.1037/0022-3514.74.6.1516
M3 - Article
C2 - 9654757
AN - SCOPUS:0032085043
SN - 0022-3514
VL - 74
SP - 1516
EP - 1530
JO - Journal of personality and social psychology
JF - Journal of personality and social psychology
IS - 6
ER -