Application of Planned Behavior Theory to Predicting Volunteer Enrollment by College Students in a Campus-Based Program

The present study tested two hypotheses derived from the theory of planned behavior regarding volunteer enrollment by college students in a campus-based program. Undergraduates ( N = 647) enrolled in eight sections of Introduction to Psychology received a recruitment message for volunteering through a campus-based program. Following exposure to the recruitment message, students completed a questionnaire and two months later the enrollment records of the campus-based program were checked. Consistent with the theory of planned behavior, attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control predicted intent – and intent, in turn, predicted volunteer enrollment in the campus-based program. However, less than 33% of the students with the maximum possible intention score of six subsequently enrolled to volunteer in the campus-based program.