Love of god and neighbor: Religion and volunteer service among college students

Research suggests that volunteerism is associated with religious involvement, but it is unclear which aspects of religion influence adherents to volunteer their time and services. In this study, 224 college undergraduates completed a questionnaire on their religious beliefs, experiences and practices, including styles of prayer They then reported on their experiences of volunteer service, if any, their motives for that service, and their likelihood of volunteering again. At the end of the session, participants were given the opportunity to volunteer to be contacted by the student directors of various service projects. The best predictor of intention to repeat volunteer service was intrinsic motivation to volunteer which was associated with prayer styles that expressed a personal relationship to God. Belief in God was a strong predictor of volunteer involvement for men, but not for women. Women reported more volunteer experience than men and were more likely to say they would volunteer again. Thus, it seems that both religious schemas and gender schemas influence an individual's attitudes towards service in ways that predispose volunteering or not, as well as what students take away from the volunteer experience.