The Prediction of Above-Average Participation in Volunteerism: A Test of the Theory of Planned Behavior and the Volunteers Functions Inventory in Older Australian Adults

Abstract

In the present prospective study of 81 older volunteers from a nonprofit organization in Australia, the authors compared the predictive utility of I. Ajzen's (1988) theory of planned behavior with that of E. G. Clary and M. Snyder's (1991) functional approach to volunteering. The authors mailed questionnaires to 385 volunteers in two waves of data collection. The first wave measured theory-of-planned-behavior variables and functional-approach variables. The second wave measured self-reported volunteering behavior for the previous month. Regression analyses supported both the theory of planned behavior and the functional approach; the theory of planned behavior accounted for a significantly larger proportion of variance in above-average participation in self-reported volunteerism. The findings of the present study provided some support for both the theory of planned behavior and the functional approach as models of self-reported volunteerism.

ACE Membership: A Benchmark Study

“…These choices support previous research about the importance of communication and professional development to members of voluntary organizations (Catchings, 2004;DuBrin, 2002;Eby et al, 1999;Greenslade & White, 2005;Helman & McMillin, 2001;Randall & O'Driscoll, 1997). Members' citation of the Critique and Awards program supports the idea that individual self-esteem derived from organizational activities increases member commitment (Kwan et al, 2004).…”

“…Functionalism, on the other hand, maintains that behavior results from evaluation of the benefits of such behavior (Greenslade & White, 2005). Both theories help predict participation in voluntary activities.…”

“…Professional organizations perform best when they satisfy professionals' unique career development needs and their common concerns, as well as meeting basic human needs for belonging and social interaction (Aranya & Jacobson, 1975;Baard et al, 2004;Brierley, 1996;DuBrin, 2002;Eby et al, 1999;Greenslade & White, 2005;Kitayama et al, 1997;Pepper, 1995;Petty & Cacioppo, 1986;Randall & O'Driscoll, 1997;Rusbult, 1983). The findings as to which activities were cited as satisfying were also congruent with research indicating the importance of member communication in fostering organizational loyalty and retention (Catchings, 2004;Mai & Akerson, 2003).…”

The management of volunteers – what can human resources do? A review and research agenda

“…It is common to most existing inventories to assess volunteer motives, and it is not only endorsed as a valid motive by most volunteers, it is often regarded by them as the most important motive (Allison, Okun, & Dutridge, 2002;Chacon, Perez, Flores, & Vecina, 2011;Omoto & Snyder, 1995). This body of research shows the benefits for non-profit organizations whose volunteers are motivated by this motive; they attend their shifts more regularly (Harrison, 1995;Penner & Finkelstein, 1998), engage in more volunteer activities (Finkelstein & Brannick, 2007;Plummer et al, 2008), provide more help to beneficiaries (Clary & Orenstein, 1991), are more engaged in their volunteer tasks (Shantz, Saksida, & Alfes, 2014), and devote more time to volunteer work (e.g., Allison et al, 2002;Finkelstein, 2008;Greenslade & White, 2005;Okun, 1994).…”

Attracting Volunteers in Highly Multicultural Societies: A Marketing Challenge

“…The Theory of Planned Behavior was considered the most appropriate framework for this investigation because (1) it has proven valuable in predicting other consumer behaviors, for example internet purchasing (George, 2004); (2) it has proven valuable in predicting volunteering behavior, and in fact, superior when compared to other frameworks such as the functional approach (Greenslade & White, 2005); and (3) it has proven effective in predicting behavior of people from different cultural backgrounds (Kalafatis, Pollard, East, & Tsogas, 1999). …”