DONORS

Why do individuals repeatedly help strangers even when this incurs personal costs? Current evidence on prosocial behavior is contradictory, scattered across disciplines, restricted to one-country studies, does not take into account contextual influences, and fails to capture its dynamic nature. An integrated model is needed to increase understanding of prosociality as a societal core value. To grasp the dynamic and contextual nature of prosocial behavior, we use a life course model to link individual determinants, social network characteristics and societal contexts. We will test the model in the case of blood donation, as an example of real world prosociality where a stranger is helped at a donor’s personal costs.

The aim of the DONORS project is to break with monodisciplinary approaches and grasp the dynamic and contextual nature of prosocial behavior. In order to achieve this a life course model is proposed, which links individual determinants, social network characteristics and societal context. The model will be tested in the case of blood donation, as an example of real world prosociality where a stranger is helped at a donor’s personal costs.

To achieve these goals DONORS comprises three interlinked work packages:
(1) Dynamic interplay among individual and network determinants of donor behavior over the life course.
(2) Genetic determinants of prosociality.
(3) Contextual variation in donor behavior.

The DONORS project is led by Eva-Maria Merz and funded by the European Research Council (Grant Agreement 802227). More information: www.donor-research.org