The Home of Wellbeing and Joy.
Dr Marcus Bull and Charlie Allnutt are two friends who come together to discuss wellbeing, introspection and their journey to becoming better people. The podcast blends personal reflection with evidence-based advice, offering listeners practical tools to improve their wellbeing and boost their mood. In each episode, Charlie and Marcus explore building a likeminded community, working through difficult emotions and finding joy in everyday life. They lean on scientific research to guide these conversations and ensure their evolution aligns with the best evidence available to them.
With guiding pillars; Introspection and Inspiration, Community and Connection, Presence and Gratitude, and Wellbeing and Joy, Charlie and Marcus invite you to learn, reflect, and grow alongside them, one conversation at a time.
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The Home of Wellbeing and Joy.
Dr Marcus Bull and Charlie Allnutt are two friends who come together to discuss wellbeing, introspection and their journey to becoming better people. The podcast blends personal reflection with evidence-based advice, offering listeners practical tools to improve their wellbeing and boost their mood. In each episode, Charlie and Marcus explore building a likeminded community, working through difficult emotions and finding joy in everyday life. They lean on scientific research to guide these conversations and ensure their evolution aligns with the best evidence available to them.
With guiding pillars; Introspection and Inspiration, Community and Connection, Presence and Gratitude, and Wellbeing and Joy, Charlie and Marcus invite you to learn, reflect, and grow alongside them, one conversation at a time.
36. Is volunteering inherently selfish? Reflecting on the Psychology of Volunteering
The Mood Booster Podcast
1 hour 1 minute
1 month ago
36. Is volunteering inherently selfish? Reflecting on the Psychology of Volunteering
The Home of Wellbeing and Joy.
Welcome to Episode 36: Is volunteering inherently selfish? Reflecting on the Psychology of Volunteering, where Dr Marcus and Charlie dive into the psychology of volunteering: why we do it, what it gives us, and whether altruism can ever be truly selfless.
We start with our own volunteering stories, from Charlie "volunteering" at ParkRun, youth work, fundraising and events, all the way to beach cleans, Duke of Edinburgh, and travelling projects in Madagascar and Thailand. Then we break down what the science actually says about why humans help others, exploring everything from the “warm glow” effect, to evolutionary theories, to Daniel Batson’s empathy-driven altruism research.
We also unpack the psychological benefits of volunteering, including wellbeing, identity, belonging, and the neuroscience behind the “helper’s high.” As always, we finish with practical advice for anyone wanting to do good in their community without burning out.
In this episode we cover:
Our own volunteering journeys
The psychology of altruism: selfish vs selfless
Warm glow theory & egoistic relief
Empathy-driven helping & Batson’s research
Mental health, social, and identity benefits
How to volunteer without overwhelming yourself
Practical Advice for Listeners:
Start Small
Find a Cause that Matches Your Identity
Volunteer Your Strengths
Protect Your Boundaries
Make It Social
📍 Pillars explored: Introspection & Inspiration, Wellbeing & Joy, Presence & Gratitude, and Community & Connection
📚 References cited in this episode:
Andreoni, J. (1989). Giving with Impure Altruism: Applications to Charity and Ricardian Equivalence. Journal of Political Economy, 97(6), 1447–1458. https://doi.org/10.1086/261662
Batson, C. D. (2014). The altruism question. In Psychology Press eBooks. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315808048
Batson, C. D., Duncan, B. D., Ackerman, P., Buckley, T., & Birch, K. (1981). Is empathic emotion a source of altruistic motivation? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 40(2), 290–302. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.40.2.290
Batson, C. D., Fultz, J., & Schoenrade, P. A. (1987). Distress and Empathy: Two Qualitatively Distinct Vicarious Emotions with Different Motivational Consequences. Journal of Personality, 55(1), 19–39. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6494.1987.tb00426.x
Cho, J., & Xiang, X. (2022). The Relationship Between Volunteering and the Occurrence of Loneliness Among Older Adults: A Longitudinal Study with 12 Years of Follow-Up. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 66(5), 680–693. https://doi.org/10.1080/01634372.2022.2139322
Moll, J., Krueger, F., Zahn, R., Pardini, M., De Oliveira-Souza, R., & Grafman, J. (2006). Human fronto–mesolimbic networks guide decisions about charitable donation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 103(42), 15623–15628. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0604475103
Yeung, J. W. K., Zhang, Z., & Kim, T. Y. (2017). Volunteering and health benefits in general adults: cumulative effects and forms. BMC Public Health, 18(1), 8. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-017-4561-8
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The Mood Booster Podcast
The Home of Wellbeing and Joy.
Dr Marcus Bull and Charlie Allnutt are two friends who come together to discuss wellbeing, introspection and their journey to becoming better people. The podcast blends personal reflection with evidence-based advice, offering listeners practical tools to improve their wellbeing and boost their mood. In each episode, Charlie and Marcus explore building a likeminded community, working through difficult emotions and finding joy in everyday life. They lean on scientific research to guide these conversations and ensure their evolution aligns with the best evidence available to them.
With guiding pillars; Introspection and Inspiration, Community and Connection, Presence and Gratitude, and Wellbeing and Joy, Charlie and Marcus invite you to learn, reflect, and grow alongside them, one conversation at a time.
