Preprint

Personality traits, blood, organ, and body donation: A systematic review and meta-analysis

November 2024

DOI:10.31219/osf.io/5gtxc

License
CC BY 4.0

Authors:

Wiebke Bleidorn

Tilburg University

Preprints and early-stage research may not have been peer reviewed yet.

Blood donation, posthumous organ donation, and bodily donation to science are key forms of health-related philanthropy that support healthcare in ways that paid or coerced labor cannot fulfill. Theory suggests that personality traits may predict differences in health-related philanthropy, though the available evidence has been mixed. This meta-analysis combined data from 10 studies with 7,549 participants to provide reliable estimates of the association between Big Five personality traits and indicators of blood donation, posthumous organ donation, and bodily donation to science. Results showed that extraversion consistently predicted health-related philanthropy across indicators. Additionally, openness and extraversion positively predicted blood donation, while neuroticism was a negative predictor. Agreeableness positively predicted posthumous organ donation, while conscientiousness did not predict any form of health-related philanthropy. These findings highlight the modest but meaningful role of personality traits in predicting health-related philanthropy and suggest applications for personality-targeted outreach to increase donation rates.

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Last Updated: 01 Jan 2025