The present study investigated potential enhancement factors in relation to volunteerism. Specifically, we examined how perceived locus of causality, social distance and gender may influence willingness to volunteer help for victims of road accident. The study was based on a controlled experiment among students of a university (N = 80). Hypotheses were tested simultaneously in a univariate analysis which showed non-significant influence of perceived locus of causality (H1, p > .05); significant influence of social distance (H2, p < .05); non-significant influence of gender (H3, p > .05); significant interaction of perceived locus of causality and gender (p < .01), and significant interaction of perceived locus of causality, social distance and gender on willingness to volunteer (H4, p < .01). That is, people were more willing to help when those in need are related to them. The present study contributes to theory within this research field which explain African disposition by showing that kinship and familiarity are significant predictors of willingness to provide help for victims of disaster. However, the researchers encourage all Nigerians to look beyond family ties and affiliations in providing help to people in need.
Key Words: Volunteerism; Social distance; Perceived locus of causality; Gender; Nigeria; Local culture
60 male Nigerian prison inmates (30 with convicted status and 30 awaiting trial) and 210 male noninmates were administered the Tennessee Self-concept Scale to test the hypotheses that (1) inmates with convicted status would obtain higher self-concept scores than those with ¿awaiting trial¿ status, and (2) the self-concept scores of prison inmates generally would be lower than those of noninmates. The two hypotheses were strongly supported for this sample. It was concluded that self-concept scores were not only related to delinquency by also to custodial status.
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