The effects of religious orientation on spontaneous and nonspontaneous helping behaviors

The relation between religiosity and helping behavior was examined in 70 college age adults. Religiosity was assessed using the Religious Orientation Scale, which measures whether individualsʹ religiosity is internally or externally motivated, and by Batsonʹs Quest Scale, which measures the extent that individuals view their religiosity as a quest. Helping behavior was assessed by reports of volunteer work (nonspontaneous) and also by responses to a solicitation from a confederate for help on a task (spontaneous). The results indicated that individuals who adopt an intrinsic religious orientation prefer nonspontaneous helping opportunities, while those who adopt a quest approach prefer spontaneous helping behaviors. Social desirability had little impact on the relation between religiosity and helping behavior.