How money matters: the effect of financial incentives on the intention to donate organs post-mortem

This study aimed to verify the effect of financial incentives and the feeling of guilt in the formation of the intention to donate organs of relatives' post-mortem. The method used was a single factor experiment, with the manipulation of financial compensations under three conditions (low value, medium value, high value) and altruism as a control group. In a convenience sample, 152 Brazilian individuals participated in the study. The results reveal that the greater the financial incentives, the lower the intention to donate, and that the greater the amount of money, the greater the feeling of guilt and the lower the intention to donate. This relationship between guilt and the formation of intent to donate contributes to a better understanding of the role of subjective norms in the formation of intent to donate organs, shedding light on the understanding of social behavior that involves post-mortem organ donation.