The Vexing Volunteer’s Dilemma

Abstract

A volunteer’s dilemma exists when a prosocial act such as volunteering leaves the volunteer better off than if no one had volunteered but worse off than if someone else had volunteered. Ideally, a person would do what others are not doing. Research has identified psychological processes and judgmental heuristics affecting the likelihood of volunteering. People volunteer inasmuch as the other person is psychologically close, they project their own choice to others, they believe that they volunteer more than others, and they ascribe moral value to volunteering. These heuristics promote volunteering and tend to create value, but they also create risks of overvolunteering. These heuristics are discussed in the context of egocentric perception and concern with reputation.