| Previous research on voluntarism indicated that of several diverse categories of volunteers, museum volunteers have some of the highest levels of commitment. To further probe the topic of commitment, this qualitative study focused on a selected group of long-term paleontology volunteers affiliated with the Museum of the Rockies, the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, or the Utah Friends of Paleontology. The study investigated factors which initially motivated these highly committed volunteers to participate in museum programs, the factors which fostered their commitment, and also the relationship between the training the volunteers had received from their museum and their level of commitment.;Data were collected from twenty-four volunteers and eight museum professionals, using a structured interview protocol. The data were analyzed using a constant-comparative method, and a set of themes on motivation and commitment emerged. Five major factors of motivation were: (1) a general interest in science and/or paleontology, (2) an interest in museum work, (3) a desire to learn, (4) a desire for socialization, and (5) personal satisfaction. The motives were generally egoistic and intrinsic. Unlike the findings from previous research on motivation and commitment, the results from this selected population found that commitment factors were similar to motivational factors. The four major factors which resulted in commitment were: (1) personal satisfaction, (2) the museum leadership, (3) learning, and (4) socialization. Egoism, more than altruism, was linked to the commitment of these volunteers. The majority of the participants believed that the volunteers' commitment was strongly influenced by the training they received from the museums.;This study could offer valuable lessons for museum programs seeking stronger commitment from volunteers serving as field workers, laboratory workers, or docents. It can be inferred from this study that volunteers place a high value on both formal and informal training, and that experiential learning is the most meaningful to volunteers. The paper concludes with a list of practical suggestions for those who deal with volunteer corps. |
