How Low Socioeconomic Status Hinders Organ Donation: An Extended Self Account.

This article investigates socioeconomic status (SES) disparities in organ donation by identifying a novel psychological barrier: lower-SES individuals place greater importance on their physical bodies as central to their sense of self, which reduces their willingness to donate organs. Across seven studies conducted in the United States and Brazil, evidence shows that this heightened bodily self-connection among disadvantaged groups leads to stronger beliefs that organ donation would harm their identity, thereby lowering donation rates. The research further demonstrates that these SES-based differences can be mitigated by framing the self in non-physical terms (e.g., emphasizing the mind) or by appeals that present organ donation as a form of self-extension (e.g., "live through others"). These findings contribute to understanding the psychological mechanisms behind SES disparities in organ donation and suggest tailored communication strategies to increase donation rates among lower-SES populations.