Material, Emotional and Professional Dynamics: Idealism, Commitment and Self-Regulation in the Peace Corps

Abstract

Worldwide, millions of citizens engage daily in channelling their social values through occupations. Some do it through entering ‘helping’ professions: by teaching (Armbruster-Sandoval, 2005; Serow, 1993), by becoming nurses (While and Blackman, 1998), by becoming public servants (Perry et al., 2010; Perry and Recascino Wise, 1990), by joining social movements (Kim and Bearman, 1997), by doing pro-bono legal work (Granfield and Koenig, 1990), by becoming doctors and clergy, and through politically-motivated art (Goddard, 2007). Some work for charities and non-profit organizations; some work in international development; some go on mission trips; some join the police force. Among sociologists, this sort of social commitment (altruism) is defined in terms of motive rather than outcome, as behaviour that is motivated primarily out of a consideration for another’s needs rather than one’s own (Piliavin and Charng, 1990, 28). While certainly not everyone who participates in these activities is animated primarily by altruism, research suggests that motivations towards such occupations do have a substantial undercurrent of social commitment running through them.