Green volunteerism among higher education institution students in Malaysia: Insights from the Volunteer Functions Inventory and the Norm Activation Model
This study addresses the limited research on the combined application of the Volunteer Functions Inventory (VFI) and the Norm Activation Model (NAM) to explain green volunteering intentions, particularly among youth in Southeast Asia. While previous studies have explored these frameworks separately,...
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| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Social Sciences and Humanities Open |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590291125006072 |
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| Summary: | This study addresses the limited research on the combined application of the Volunteer Functions Inventory (VFI) and the Norm Activation Model (NAM) to explain green volunteering intentions, particularly among youth in Southeast Asia. While previous studies have explored these frameworks separately, few have integrated them to investigate their joint influence on pro-environmental behaviour. This research specifically examines how six motivational functions (protective, value, career, social, understanding, and enhancement) from VFI and three norm-based factors (personal norms, awareness of consequences, and ascription of responsibility) from NAM affect green volunteering intentions among Malaysian Higher Education Institution (HEI) students, which is a demographic with strong potential to contribute to sustainability efforts yet remains underrepresented in environmental volunteerism. A quantitative survey was conducted with 670 HEI students across Malaysia using structured self-administered questionnaires distributed through university networks and online platforms. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to test the relationships between motivational and norm-based constructs and students' volunteering intentions. Findings reveal that career motivation and knowledge acquisition (understanding function), along with personal norms, awareness of consequences, and ascription of responsibility, significantly predict green volunteering intention. These findings demonstrate the utility of integrating VFI and NAM to capture both extrinsic and intrinsic motivations behind environmental engagement. The study offers theoretical contributions by validating an integrative model for green volunteerism and provides practical recommendations for educational institutions, NGOs, and policymakers. Interventions should align volunteer opportunities with students’ career goals and moral values while also offering tangible incentives such as certifications or academic credits. These insights can help cultivate a generation of environmentally responsible youth capable of addressing pressing sustainability challenges. |
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| ISSN: | 2590-2911 |