Abstract
This study examined gender differences in the beliefs of university students about volunteering. The investigations highlight the infl uence that stereotyped social roles, which are traditionally attributed to men and women, can exert on people’s beliefs and on the adoption of prosocial behaviors. A total of 303 students from the University of Lisbon and the Portuguese Catholic University participated in the study, and the Volunteer Functions Attitudes Questionnaire was used to collect data. The results of Analysis of Variance indicate that men value the instrumental function of volunteering as a source for professional development, and women highlight it as a framework for the expression of personal values. The analysis makes it possible to understand the students’ expectations of volunteering and how they can be met. It is important to rethink volunteering practices in order to foster non-sexist educational proposals to promote greater participation of men and women in different projects.
Keywords
Attitude; Gender differences; Students; Volunteers