English abstract
The present study aimed at investigating the perceived mental image of the volunteer work and
its relation with motivation toward volunteer work. The population of the study consisted of the
students at the University of Nizwa in the Sultanate of Oman. The study sample included 30
volunteers and 40 non- volunteers for the first research instrument and 69 volunteers and 100
non- volunteers for the second instrument.
The researcher used two instrument to answer the research questions: an interview and
questionnaire. The interview was used to find the perceived mental image of the volunteer work
and it consisted of four parts. The questionnaire had two images to measure the level of
motivation toward volunteer work. It included six dimensions: values, understanding,
enhancement, social interaction, protective and career development.
The major finding of the current study were:
- The volunteers have appositive perceived image of the volunteer work while the non volunteers
have an unclear image.
- The volunteers have a very high level of motivation in the Enhancement, understanding and
social interaction dimensions as well as a high level of motivation in the career development and
protective dimensions and the non- volunteers have a high level of motivation toward volunteer
work.
- There is a statistical difference in the career development dimension in favor of the females
and there is a statistical difference between the volunteers based on their social status in the
career development and the enhancement dimensions in favor of the marred ones.
- There is a statistical difference between the volunteers based on their educational level
difference in the career development dimension in favor of bachelor student and there is
statistical difference in the enhancement dimension based on the age in favor of the group age
of (22- 29).
- There is a statistical difference in the level of motivation toward volunteer work between the
non-volunteers based on their gender in the enhancement dimension in favor of the females and
there is a statistical difference based on their educational level in the values dimension in favor
of master student. Also there is a statistical difference in the values dimension based on the
college in favor of college of arts and sciences.
- There is a positive relation at ( α ≤ 0.05) between the perceived mental image of the volunteer
work and motivation toward volunteer work of the volunteers and non- volunteers.
