Posthumous organ donation attitudes, intentions to donate, and organ donor status: Examining the role of the big five personality dimensions and altruism

•Organ donation attitudes, registration intentions, and donor status were examined.•Altruism mediated the link between agreeableness and attitudes and intentions.•No other personality dimensions were predictive organ donation outcomes.•The lack of influence of conscientiousness in organ donation merits examination.

The present study examined the role of the big five personality dimensions and altruism in organ donation attitudes (ODA), intentions to register, and organ donor status using a sample of 336 college undergraduates. Participants completed questionnaires that assessed the big five personality dimensions, altruism, ODA, and non-donors completed a question that assessed their intentions to register as an organ donor in the next 3–6 months. In collecting information on organ donor status, participants showed a state-issued ID to a research assistant upon completion of the questionnaire. In terms of the influence of personality, results indicated that agreeableness was significant in predicting ODA and intentions to register. However, the relationship between agreeableness and the organ donation behaviors was explained by the indirect effect of altruism. No other personality variables were significant in the models. Results are discussed with reference to the role of altruism in organ donation and the need to further understand the null findings of conscientiousness in the models. Further research is needed on the interaction between personality and perceptions of organ donation among college students and the general public.