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Proud volunteers: the role of self- and vicarious-pride in promoting volunteering

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Abstract

This research examines the role of self- and vicarious-pride in eliciting divergent mindsets and behaviors toward volunteering. We propose that the congruent matching of self-pride (vicarious-pride) emotions with promotion (prevention) focus-framed messages increases the effectiveness of promoting volunteering behaviors. The positive “match-up” effects arise because self-pride elicits a competitive mindset, whereas vicarious-pride elicits a collaborative mindset toward volunteering. We test our predictions across three experimental studies using behavioral measures in different non-profit organizational settings. The findings contribute to research on the role of pride in prosocial consumer behavior by providing empirical evidence that self-pride and vicarious-pride lead to different mindsets and behavioral outcomes.

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Notes

  1. As an additional analysis, we used recognition and reciprocity measures as potential mediators. The results were non-significant.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Auckland, 12 Grafton Road, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand

    Felix Septianto & Yuri Seo

  2. Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia

    Billy Sung

  3. Universiti Utara Malaysia, 06010, UUM Sintok, Kedah, Malaysia

    Nursafwah Tugiman

Authors
  1. Felix Septianto
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  2. Billy Sung
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  3. Yuri Seo
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  4. Nursafwah Tugiman
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Felix Septianto.

Appendices

Appendix 1

Before you continue with the next part of the survey, would you please take a few minutes to read the following request from the Change.org?

The illegal U-Turn and the failure of drivers and bikers to stop and/or REFUSE to slow down at pedestrian crossing have caused road fatalities over the years in front of many schools in Malaysia.

There was one instance when two schoolchildren (siblings) mowed down by a speeding car while using the pedestrian crossing at Jalan Taman Melawati, in front of SKTM2. One died and the other brother suffered serious injury, went into coma and later recovered. This unfortunate incident was confirmed by the family member of the deceased in Twitter. We need big help and action from JPJ and Transport Ministry to install safety cameras in front of schools.

ROAD SAFETY CAMERA COULD SAVE LIVES! (Promotion)

NO ROAD SAFETY CAMERA COULD LEAD TO DEATHS! (Prevention)

Appendix 2

Before you continue with the next part of the survey, would you please take a few minutes to read the following request from the Amnesty International?

We all want to be safe and secure, and to live without fear, and that’s a human right that we all have.

But in the USA, gun violence is an epidemic that directly threatens these rights—and Amnesty International is addressing it as the human rights crisis it is.

On a September afternoon, a gang member who was reportedly seeking revenge for a minor injury suffered in a gang-related shooting walked into a crowded park with fellow gang members, and one of them unloaded more than a dozen bullets from an assault rifle, injuring 13 people—including a three-year-old boy. One of the bullets struck the boy just behind his right ear and exited from his face. He recovered after multiple surgeries.

Amnesty International documented the boy’s story and several others in a 2014 report on the epidemic of gun violence in Chicago. The report outlined how gun violence violates the human rights of men, women, and children in communities across the nation, and it outlined a series of reforms that need to be adopted in the United States to protect people.

GUN’S OWNERSHIP CONTROL COULD PROMOTE A SAFER AMERICA! (Promotion)

NO GUN’S OWNERSHIP CONTROL COULD LEAD TO A MORE DANGEROUS AMERICA! (Prevention)

Appendix 3

figure a

Neutral, Promotion Ad

figure b

Neutral, Prevention Ad

figure c

Self-Pride, Promotion Ad

figure d

Self-Pride, Prevention Ad

figure e

Vicarious-Pride, Promotion Ad

figure f

Vicarious-Pride, Prevention Ad

Appendix 4

figure g

Contrast 1 indicates the relationship between self-pride and neutral conditions for the promotion message, whereas contrast 2 indicates the relationship between vicarious-pride and neutral conditions for the prevention message.

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Septianto, F., Sung, B., Seo, Y. et al. Proud volunteers: the role of self- and vicarious-pride in promoting volunteering. Mark Lett 29, 501–519 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11002-018-9472-7

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