Decisions to donate bone marrow: The role of attitudes and subjective norms across cultures

This paper reports the results of a field investigation of the determinants of decisions to donate bone marrow. Predictions are made on the basis of a modification of the theory of reasoned action wherein attitudes are operationalized in separate affective and evaluative components. Boundary conditions of the theory of reasoned action are further explored by examining the effects of culture (Hong Kong Chinese, N = 190; American Chinese, N = 107; black Americans, N = 124; and white Americans N = 122) on decisions to donate for each of four targets: Immediate Family Members (IFM), Close Relatives (CR), Ethnic Strangers (ES), and Total Strangers (TS). For this life or death decision, the willingness to give is hypothesized to vary as a function of the so-called fitness value of the recipients (i.e., their capacity to contribute to the donor's inclusive fitness), as modified by cultural differences between group- versus independent-based cultures. Among other results, the following gradient was found in attitudes, subjective norms, and intentions for Chinese: IFM > CR > ES > TS; for Americans the pattern was IFM = CR > ES = TS. American Chinese showed stronger attitudes and felt norms, but not intentions, to give to close relatives than did Hong Kong Chinese, reflecting differential in-group/out-group pressures. Black and White Americans showed stronger attitudes, subjective norms, and intentions to donate to strangers than did Chinese.