Effects of making blood donor motives salient upon donor retention: A field experiment

Abstract. The salience of each of two important reasons for giving blood (altruism and personal benefits) was manipulated by exposing volunteer donors to one of four communications immediately preceding their donation. The results of a post-donation questionnaire revealed an increased likelihood of future donation when altruism was made salient. However, the personal benefits manipulation had no effect upon subjects ’ reported willingness to donate in the future. Veteran donors were more responsive to the altruism manipulation, reported a stronger motivation for having given blood, expressed a greater like-lihood of donating again, and perceived the actual donation as less aversive when compared to rookie donors. A number of studies provide correlational data regarding the motivations of blood donors (cf. Osborne & Bradley, 1974; Oswalt & Napoliello, 1974). One finding common to all is the primary importance of humanitarian or benevolent motives: donors cite such altruistic factors far more frequently than othe