Graduate Program
College Student Affairs
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Semester of Degree Completion
2011
Thesis Director
Charles Eberly
Thesis Committee Member
William Benedict
Thesis Committee Member
Rachel Fisher
Abstract
Much research had shown that men volunteer at a lesser rate than women do. Additionally, research had shown that the motivations to volunteer differ for each gender. Two samples of college students who participated in single day service projects were surveyed using the Volunteer Functions Inventory-an instrument that assesses the importance of six possible motivations that range from a focus on others to a focus on gains for one's self-by the Student Community Service office. The data from the VFI was divided along gender lines to see to which motivations millennial males adhered. In an effort to further understand the motivations for collegiate men to volunteer, focus groups of males and females were held. This study aimed to depict and understand motives for volunteering among collegiate males as portrayed by both quantitative and qualitative methods. In contrast to previous studies, the principle investigator (Pl) found that means of the six Volunteer Functions Inventory scales were similar for men and women based on a two-tailed tTest of independent means. However, rank order of the scales differed between men and women. The values and understanding functions were ranked first and second among the six motivations by both men and women. Men ranked the social function in fourth position, while women ranked the social function in fifth position. The relative value among men of volunteerism's social aspect also emerged in the qualitative data generated from three follow-up focus groups.
Recommended Citation
Nance, Matthew C., "Increasing male volunteering one motivation at a time" (2011). Masters Theses. 1012.
https://thekeep.eiu.edu/theses/1012
