In this article, I build on this core insight to develop and test a
contingency perspective on prosocial motivation. Drawing on selfdetermination
theory, I propose that prosocial motivation is most
likely to enhance persistence, performance, and productivity when
it is accompanied by intrinsic motivation. Two studies of firefighters
and fundraising callers provide support for the proposed moderating
role of intrinsic motivation, demonstrating a synergistic
interaction of prosocial and intrinsic motivations in predicting
higher levels of persistence, performance, and productivity. Together,
the studies advance existing knowledge about the boundary
conditions of prosocial motivation and fill a gap in selfdetermination
theory and research about the interac