Predicting Participation in Volunteering Based on Personality Characteristics

Abstract

The main goal of this research was to examine whether big five personality traits can predict participation in volunteering. A total of 420 participants consisting of 215 volunteers and 205 nonvolunteers from various regions in Indonesia completed an inventory of the big five personality traits. The preliminary analysis using independent sample t-test found that the openness, extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and emotional stability of volunteer samples were significantly higher than non-volunteer samples. Binary logistic regression analysis then was used to examine whether each of the big five personality traits was able to predict the participation to be a volunteer. The logistic regression model was statistically significant withχ2 = 67,102, p < ,01. The model explained 19,7% (Nagelkerke R 2 ) of the variance in volunteer participation and correctly classified 64% of cases. Increasing extraversion and conscientiousness was significantly associated with an increased likelihood of volunteer participation. Thus, certain personality characteristics can predict participation in volunteering

When True Service Counts: Developing a Volunteerism Attributes Questionnaire (VAQ), An Exploratory Sequential Mixed Methods Approach

“…A relationship between volunteering and personality traits was reported in several studies [6,17,23,41,42]. Personality traits that influence volunteering are extraversion [6], empathy [41] and conscientiousness [42]. Extraversion is characterized as being friendly, sociable, active, talkative, and outgoing [6].…”

“…Conscientiousness is a personality trait that relates to being responsible, self-organized, efficient and hardworking. This also includes characteristics of order and logic [7,42]. People with a high level of conscientiousness tend to manage their time to carry out their social obligations such as participating in volunteer activities [42].…”

“…This also includes characteristics of order and logic [7,42]. People with a high level of conscientiousness tend to manage their time to carry out their social obligations such as participating in volunteer activities [42]. Conscientious volunteers are committed to adhering to volunteering schedules, and they are more likely to work long hours since they consider volunteering as an opportunity for a larger cause [42].…”

“…People with a high level of conscientiousness tend to manage their time to carry out their social obligations such as participating in volunteer activities [42]. Conscientious volunteers are committed to adhering to volunteering schedules, and they are more likely to work long hours since they consider volunteering as an opportunity for a larger cause [42]. These personality traits of extraversion, empathy, and conscientiousness become important factors when volunteering is taken into account.…”

Volunteer participation differentially moderates the association between insomnia and poor subjective well-being in community-dwelling older adults: the Yilan study, Taiwan

“…Theoretically, the personality traits of an altruistic attitude [ 26 ], low neuroticism, and high extraversion of volunteers related to better self-rated health [ 27 ] may neutralize the adverse impact of insomnia on subjective well-being. In contrast, other characteristics of volunteers, such as conscientiousness [ 28 ], may exaggerate the unfavorable influence of insomnia on subjective well-being because they may conflict with the core nature of good sleep, including automaticity (circadian and homeostatic regulation) and plasticity (accommodation to real-world circumstances) [ 29 ]. In the literature, only one study has demonstrated how ethnicity moderates the association between insomnia and positive mood [ 30 ], one domain of subjective well-being.…”