Abstract
Investgated were characteristics and helping patterns of 80 older rural natural helpers in the Midwest and New England. Although females (n = 42) and males (n = 38) were similar on demographic variables, there were marked gender differences associated with helper motivation, help initiation, helping style, and perceived outcome. More females, for example, cited caring about people as their major motivation for helping whereas more men reported being motivated by a sense of moral obligation to help others. Conversely, few site differences emerged in two dissimilar regions of the country.

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