The role of traits, values and self-efficacy beliefs in volunteering

Abstract

Recent literature on prosocial behavior has emphasized on the joint role of traits, values and self-efficacy beliefs in prosocial behavior. Even though some attention has been paid to studying the role of traits and values in volunteering literature, the role of self-efficacy beliefs has not been explored. This study seeks to delineate the joint and individual effects of each of these three variables, by distinguishing between primarily helping and primarily community involvement types of volunteering. While agreeableness and extraversion traits, self-transcendence values and empathic and social self-efficacy beliefs play a crucial role in helping type volunteering, extraversion trait, achievement and stimulation values and social self-efficacy beliefs play a crucial role in involvement type volunteering. These relationships are specified in nine hypotheses. Besides, a model specifying mediating role of values and self-efficacy beliefs on the relationship between traits and volunteering is developed and tested. Empirical results offer partial support (N=228).