Concept Paper
Version 1
Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed
Examining the pro-self and prosocial components of a calling outlook: A critical review
Version 1
: Received: 29 June 2023 / Approved: 30 June 2023 / Online: 30 June 2023 (12:18:43 CEST)
A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.
Hart, R.; Hart, D. Examining the Pro-Self and Prosocial Components of a Calling Outlook: A Critical Review. Behav. Sci. 2023, 13, 684. Hart, R.; Hart, D. Examining the Pro-Self and Prosocial Components of a Calling Outlook: A Critical Review. Behav. Sci. 2023, 13, 684.
Abstract
Work on callings has burgeoned in the past 20 years, yet recent reviews exposed a lack of conceptual clarity and disagreements around its definition, components and measures. One lingering point of contention revolves around the element of prosociality: Is a calling orientation primarily motivated by self-interest, prosocially orientated, or a mix of both? This conceptual paper reviews and examines the pro-self and prosocial component of a calling outlook, by examining and comparing the ways in which they feature in different calling subtypes: Classic, neoclassic, and modern callings. Our analysis suggests that these subtypes vary in where they are located on a pro-self – prosocial continuum: Classic callings are located on the prosocial side of the axis, modern callings are located on pro-self side of the axis, and neoclassic callings can be situated in the middle of the con-tinuum, integrating self-orientated and other-orientated motivations. Our analysis further suggests that these calling subtypes draw on divergent value systems: Classic callings are propelled by self-transcendent values, modern callings are driven by self-actualization motivations, and neoclassic callings integrate both value systems. We therefore argue that the subjective experiences of pursuing a calling within each subtype pathway differ, alt-hough they may culminate in similar outcomes. The paper offers a novel framework for analyzing people’s calling that draws on their values.
Keywords
Calling; Meaning of Work; Prosociality; Prosocial behaviours; Values
Subject
Business, Economics and Management, Human Resources and Organizations
Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Comments (0)
We encourage comments and feedback from a broad range of readers. See criteria for comments and our Diversity statement.
Leave a public commentSend a private comment to the author(s)
* All users must log in before leaving a comment