Abstract
The single most intriguing question asked of Peace Corps Volunteers by Americans and non-Americans alike is: "Why did you join?" While there are many intuitive analyses, this paper reports several more objective studies of motivation for joining the Peace Corps. After describing the Volunteers on the basis of a number of variables, three reports are summarized: (1) a 1962 study of 2,612 applicants' replies to a motivational question on the application form; (2) a 1963 interview study of why people who apply later decline a specific invitation to enter training; (3) a 1964 interview study of col lege seniors' interest in the Peace Corps. The paper concludes that Volunteers can be successful in the Peace Corps with a variety of motivations for joining.
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