Signing the organ donor card: the relationship between expressed attitude, the actual behavior and personality traits

Advances in medical technology have been instrumental in the development of transplantation as a life-saving procedure, which promises to be the positive choice treatment for organ failure in the future (Randhawa & Darr, 1997). However, there are not enough organs to meet the ever increasing demand, a trend that seems likely to continue unless some form of appropriate action is taken. Researchers have suggested that people in the West are favorable toward and are knowledgeable about organ donation(n1) and its benefits for potential recipients (Kent & Owens, 1995; Shanteau, Harris, & VandenBos, 1992). Although strong feelings of pride have been expressed by those who decide to become organ donors (Parisi & Katz, 1986), general attitudes and intentions may not necessarily be predictive of specific behavioral acts (Jaccard, King, & Pomazal, 1977). According to Manstead (1996), there is, indeed, a worrisome inconsistency between what people say (attitudes) and what people do (actual behavior). People may thus report positive attitudes toward organ donation because it is the socially desirable and humanitarian thing to do, whether they seriously intend to donate their body parts for transplantation purposes (Cleveland, 1975). Radecki and Jaccard (1997) identified cultural, religious, altruistic, and normative beliefs, as well as knowledge, as possible intervening psychological variables affecting actual behaviors toward becoming a donor. Commitment to donating one's organs may also be related to variables such as fear of dying, life after death, and anxiety levels (Cleveland).