Abstract

Background: A supply of blood, provided by volunteer donors, is crucial for all health services. Recent epidemiological data suggest that experienced blood donors are motivated by warm-glow (it makes me feel good) and novice donors by a newly identified motivation of reluctant altruism (RA: donating because no-one else will), rather than pure altruism. These new and surprising findings require further investigation. A series of behavioural economic (BE) games to assess warm-glow and psychometric analyses were used to examine the validity of these findings. Methods: Data were gathered from a psychometric experimental study (N = 450) and four lab based economic games (N = 210). Findings: The BE games confirm blood donors are warm-glow givers. Reluctant altruism emerges as a clear factor and the strongest predictor of intentions to donate in non-donors, current and relapsed donors. Discussion: Implications for theories of altruism, blood donation and recruitment of blood donors are discussed.