Psychological ownership and identity motives in blood donation.

Abstract

Interventions to retain existing donors are essential to increase the blood supply. Blood donor self-identity is proposed to motivate sustained donation behaviour. However, interventions to develop self-identity in the absence of donating blood are scarce. We propose that experiencing psychological ownership of a blood collection agency (BCA) may provide a potential avenue for fostering donor self-identity and subsequent sustained donation behaviour. Two hundred and fifty-five donor participants were recruited through Prolific Academic (n = 175) and an Australian online blood donor community group (n = 80), with an additional 252 non-donors recruited through Prolific Academic. Participants completed an online survey assessing donation behaviour, perceived psychological ownership of a BCA, self-identity and intentions to donate blood, amongst other constructs. Consistent with our theoretical argument, psychological ownership was positively associated with self-identity, which, in turn, was positively associated with intentions to donate blood. Donation behaviour was positively associated with psychological ownership. Examination of psychological ownership by donation experience showed the expected relationship with committed donors having the strongest psychological ownership and non-donors having the weakest psychological ownership over a BCA. We provide initial support for the inclusion of psychological ownership within a model of sustained blood donation behaviour.