Volunteer Identity Salience, Role Enactment, and Well-Being

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  • Comparisons of Three Salience Constructs

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<jats:p> Two concepts of identity salience are linked to different outcomes in the social psychological literature. Identity accumulation research relates identity importance (one salience concept) to physical and mental health; identity theory connects readiness to invoke an identity (another salience concept) to role enactment. A “cross-over” line of research links volunteer identity importance to frequent enactment of the volunteer role. To integrate these lines of work, I propose that both types of salience spur more frequent role enactment, which in turn benefits well-being. Rating versus ranking measures of salience are contrasted. The identity of community volunteer is the focus, specifically, the role of hospital visitor for the Mended Hearts organization (N = 458). Analyses are disconfirming, instead showing hours spent visiting links to greater visitor identity salience (of both types), which relates to better mental health. Rating measures are more predictive than the ranking measure. Identity salience seems a key mechanism that links time spent in volunteer work to greater well-being. </jats:p>

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