抄録
This study investigated helping effects on helpers, focusing in particular on volunteers' psychological outcomes (e. g . , a feeling of joy or satisfaction, etc. ) . Study 1 was based on (1) 10 months of field work, consisting of participant observation of volunteer work in an institution for the elderly, and (2) one-to-one interviews of 13 volunteers to examine their helping behaviors. These results were developed into four hypotheses about the factors of helping effects on helpers and their influences. The main purpose of Study 2 was to test these hypotheses by examining the helping effects of 257 middle and elderly-aged volunteers through questionnaires. The main results were as follows : (1) volunteers obtained helping effects through volunteering, which can be divided into 3 components : altruism elevation, establishment of new relationships, and an increased appreciation for life. (2) affirmative evaluation of their own helping behaviors provided helping effects for volunteers. (3) helping effects for volunteers determined whether volunteers are motivated to continue volunteer work.
