Reciprocal Altruism in a Charity-Fundraising Event: Reconceptualizing the Cost of Volunteering

Abstract

Following a scholarly bias toward the benefit of volunteering, this study aims to investigate the cost paid by volunteers. Underpinned by the sociobiological theory of reciprocal altruism, the benefit of volunteering is reconceptualized as the return of costs incurred by volunteering. Drawing from fieldwork conducted in Open Gardens (private gardens open to the public as tourist attractions and a means of charity-fundraising), this study identified three kinds of costs paid by volunteers in exchange for benefits: fear of failure to live up to visitors’ expectations, reluctance to reject garden owners’ requests, and reluctance to mobilize friends. The study highlighted “cheaters” who deliberately refrained from paying these costs and discussed their impact on the management of Open Gardens. As a steppingstone to detect cheaters and recruit reliable volunteers, the study calls for more research into the cost of volunteering.