Individual motivations to volunteer

Overview

• Intrinsic motivations are very strong and give people a sense of purpose and meaning that external motivations such as money doesn’t.

• Altruism is a severely underrated driver in our current individualistic, money heavy society and can be a key driver to positive change inside individuals and in their communities.

• External motivations to volunteer, such as expecting some future reward, are equally valid if they lead to actions that still benefit the whole and support the communities they are set in.

Internal motivations

Enjoyment How creative a person feels when working on the project, is the strongest and most pervasive driver.

The user need for intellectual stimulation derived from practicing their craft, and improving skills are top motivators for project participation.

Altruism is an intrinsic motivation in which one seeks to increase the welfare of others.

It is the personal disposition at the opposite pole from welfare of others. It is the personal disposition at the opposite pole from selfishness—doing.

Community Identification a variant of altruism corresponds to Maslow's needs for belonging and love.

A participant may identify themselves as members of the community.

If successful, this can establish obligation/community based intrinsic motivations.

Peer Recognition Peer recognition derives from the desire for fame and esteem, which is also associated with Future Rewards and Community Identification.

Personal Needs Open-source projects are often initiated because a programmer has a personal need for a certain kind of software.

Ideology, Morality & Values Motivates people to act, social movements that confront the establishment of the software industry on ideological grounds.

Virtues like honesty, truthfulness, trustworthiness, justice, courage, loyalty, benevolence, should be embedded & exemplified.

Self-identification with the ideology, morality & values become the basis for establishing extended kinship ties - ultimately leading to community identification, which in turns acts as a driver to participate in community projects.

External motivations

Future Rewards A participant may view participation as an investment from which they will obtain future returns.

Self-Marketing Participants may regard working for the projects as an effective way to demonstrate their capabilities and skills.

Compensation

A long-term contributor may receive compensation, which can take the form of financial rewards or social rewards such as authority, recognition, or job stability.