Abstract

This paper examined how the interdisciplinary field of volunteer motivation and creativity research helps improve our understanding of social issues. This research focused on the victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake, which occurred on March 11, 2011, and discussed how volunteer motivations support volunteer activities, positive youth development and citizenship from the perspective of sociocultural and self-determination theories Next, volunteerism based on prosocial behaviors was explored, such as improvement of victims’ lives after the disaster. Despite the positive effect of volunteer activities on lifespan youth development, volunteer assistance within the stricken area has gradually declined during the past year compared to the period immediately after the disaster, when there were a substantial number of volunteers. To sustain volunteer motivation for longer periods, interdisciplinary studies within the areas of psychology and leisure are necessary. This research outlined three important interdisciplinary concepts, which are necessary to recover from the disaster: identity formation, collaborative creativity, and community citizenship. Volunteering as extracurricular activities for undergraduate and prospective teachers can strengthen their own and students’ rich and deep life course in future.

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