Researchers in Vox Sanguinis hypothesized that “increasing a [blood] donors’ subjective sense of psychological ownership over a blood collection agency (BCA) may provide a potential novel avenue to strengthen donor identity.” Their study was rooted in the premise that new or first-time donors are “primarily motivated by external factors such as social pressure.” However, as these individuals continue to donate blood regularly, they transition to repeat or regular blood donors “who develop a role identity (a self-concept based on a performed role) from their increasing familiarity with blood donation. With repeated donations, this donor role identity is validated” becoming a self-identity.” The study evaluated the perception of the role of psychological ownership and self-identity as drivers of blood donor retention by recruiting participants online who were “Australian residents, aged 18+, who believed themselves eligible to donate blood. [Those] recruited through [a platform for online researchers called Prolific] were compensated at an average rate of £6.00 per hour. Participants [recruited] through an online blood donor community page (not affiliated with a BCA) could enter a prize draw to win one of four $50 gift cards.” A total of “255 donors recruited through Prolific (n = 175) and the community group (n = 80)…Eighty-seven individuals who had not attended a BCA in the past two years (lapsed donors) and 126 participants who had never attended a blood collection site before (non-donors) [were included]. Lapsed donors had made an average of 6.10 (SD = 7.02) donations, with 72.41 percent having donated whole blood and 5.75 percent having donated plasma.”
The researchers explained that “[p]articipants’ experience of psychological ownership over a BCA and blood donor self-identity were assessed using adapted versions of established measures [as drivers of blood donor retention]…All responses were made on a seven-point Likert scale from one (strongly disagree) to seven (strongly agree).” The authors discovered that “psychological ownership, self-identity and intention were all significantly positively correlated. Analysis of the associations between psychological ownership and other measured constructs revealed that psychological ownership was distinct from other variables typically associated with donor identity…Participants recruited through the blood donor community group were label[e]d ‘committed donors,’ while donors recruited through Prolific were label[e]d ‘donors’…[A] multivariate analysis of variance was conducted with donor status (committed donor, donor, non-donor, and lapsed donor) as the predictor and psychological ownership, self-identity and intention as dependent variables…Consistent with our theoretical argument, psychological ownership as well as self-identity and intention differed by donor category. Specifically, non-donors experienced the least psychological ownership followed by lapsed donors, donors, and then committed donors. These key findings replicated when donor participants were grouped based on past donation behavi[o]r (<10 total donations performed, >10 total donations performed).”
The study concluded that the findings “support the inclusion of psychological ownership within a model of sustained blood donation behavi[o]r. Interventions based on psychological ownership of a BCA have the potential to foster donor self-identity and unlock the key to blood donor retention. Psychological ownership-based interventions should now be tested with the end goal of ensuring a stable donor panel and sufficient blood supply.”
Citation: Edwards, Abigail, Masser, B., and Barlow, F. “Psychological ownership and identity motives in blood donation.” Vox Sanguinis. 2023.