Is Volunteering Rewarding in Itself?

MEIER, STEPHAN; STUTZER, ALOIS

doi:10.1111/j.1468-0335.2007.00597.x

Cited by 551Nonprofit Sector and VolunteeringPsychological Well-being and Life SatisfactionTourism, Volunteerism, and Development

Is Volunteering Rewarding in Itself?

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MEIER, STEPHAN, STUTZER, ALOIS·2008·Economica

DOI 10.1111/j.1468-0335.2007.00597.x

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Abstract

Volunteering constitutes one of the most important pro‐social activities. Following Aristotle, helping others is the way to higher individual wellbeing. This view contrasts with the selfish utility maximizer, who avoids helping others. The two rival views are studied empirically. We find robust evidence that volunteers are more satisfied with their life than non‐volunteers. The issue of causality is studied from the basis of the collapse of East Germany and its infrastructure of volunteering. People who lost their opportunities for volunteering are compared with people who experienced no change in their volunteer status.

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Four of five cohorts assessing life satisfaction reported benefit from volunteering.
“Four [28,43,60,63] of the five cohorts [28,43,44,60,63] that assessed life satisfaction reported benefit (3–25 year follow-ups).”
From Is volunteering a public health intervention? A systematic review and meta-analysis of the health and survival of volunteers (2013) · cites this paper as [43]

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Authors: MEIER, S., & STUTZER, A.
Affiliations: Federal Reserve Bank of Boston (US)
University of Basel (CH)
ORCID: MEIER, STEPHAN
STUTZER, ALOIS
Venue: Economica
Publisher: Wiley
Published: 2007-12-27
Volume: 75
Issue: 297
Pages: 39-59
ISSN: 0013-0427 (ISSN-L)
1468-0335
DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-0335.2007.00597.x
OpenAlex: W2030544770
Cited by: 551
References: 58
Citations by year: 2026: 16 · 2025: 25 · 2024: 24 · 2023: 37 · 2022: 37 · 2021: 44 · 2020: 30 · 2019: 34 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 29 · 2016: 39 · 2015: 41 · 2014: 40 · 2013: 37 · 2012: 24
FWCI: 40.41
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: green
www.zora.uzh.ch
Licence: other-oa
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor)
Locations: Economica (publishedVersion)
edoc (University of Basel) (acceptedVersion)
Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Topics: Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Nonprofit Sector and Volunteering
Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction
Social Sciences › Demography › Tourism, Volunteerism, and Development
Keywords: volunteering, intrinsic rewards, life satisfaction, well-being, prosocial behavior, altruism, utility maximization, post-communist transition, East Germany

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Is Volunteering Rewarding in Itself?

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