Interrelation of Psychological Features of Students and Their Willingness for Volunteer Activity

Abstract

The paper discusses areas of research of volunteering and the determinants of willingness for volunteer activities in young people.We present outcomes of an empirical study of psychological characteristics both in students who are willing to volunteer and in those who are not.The study involved 105 second- and third-year students of psychology (59%) and management (41%) departments of two universities in Moscow (Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education).The subjects were aged 19-22 years, with an average age of 19,8 years; 76% were females.The following techniques were used in the study: the altruism questionnaire (by O.F.Potemkina), the social empathy measure (by A.Mehrabian and N.Epstein, Russian adaptation by Yu.M.Orlov and Yu.N.Emelyanov), and the questionnaire of volunteer willingness developed specially for the study.The results of the study showed that there were significant differences in the willingness to volunteer and in the level of empathy and altruism among psychology students and manager students.The paper discusses the relationship between altruism, empathy indicators and willingness to participate in volunteer.