Warming up Cool Cooperators

This paper utilises field-based trials, an implementation study and a series of experimental and observational studies to test the hypothesis derived from Andreoni's theory of warm-glow/impure altruism and our model that repeat high-cost cooperators are motivated by warm-glow. We show that by a simple warm-glow intervention, we can warm up cooler cooperators (blood donors who have not made a commitment to donate again) and increase their likelihood of them donating again

Ferguson, E., Lawrence, C., Bowen, S., Gemelli, C. N., Rozsa, A., Niekrasz, K., van Dongen, A., Williams, L. A., Thijsen, A., Guerin, N., Masser, B., & Davison, T. E. (2023). Warming up cool cooperators. Nature human behaviour, 7(11), 1917–1932. (doi. 10.1038/s41562-023-01687)

Does Gratitude Enhance Prosociality? 

This meta-analytic paper tests a series of hypotheses about the role of gratitude and other emotions as mechanisms supporting prosociality. In particular, prosociality is based on aspects of reciprocity (direct and indirect, both upstream and downstream). We show that gratitude is, in fact, important for all aspects of reciprocity, not just upstream reciprocity.

Ma, L., Tunney, R., & Ferguson, E. (2017). Does Gratitude Enhance Prosociality: A Meta-Analytic Review.  Psychological Bulletin, 143, 601-635. (doi. 10.1037/bul0000103)  

What Blood and Organ Donation Can Tell Us About Cooperation? 

This review paper argues that the high level of real-world cooperation (blood and organ donation) acts as an archetypal dictator and public good game. This makes them ideal for testing the models and theories of cooperation but also means we can potentially identify new mechanisms of cooperation. One such mechanism is 'octant altruism', whereby people help in a high-cost situation (where free-riding is high) as they cannot trust others to help.

Ferguson, E. (2022) What Blood and Organ Donation Can Tell Us About Cooperation? Current Opinion in Psychology, 44, 202-207 (doi. 10.1016/j.copsyc.2021.09.005). 

The Power of Arts-Based Film Interventions to Encourage Black Blood Donors

This paper evaluates the efficacy and generalizability of (i) community co-designed films and (ii) an NHSBT/Disney Marvel Black Panther film to emotionally engage and encourage blood donation in both the Black and White communities. The finding highlights how successful emotionally engaging arts-based approaches can be.

Mills, R., Okubanjo, A., Acheampong, N., Croucher, M., Eaton, N., Kazi, A., Di Angelantonio, E., Wood, A., Masser, B., Ferguson, E. (2024) The Power of Arts-Based Film Interventions to Encourage Black Blood Donors. Transfusion (doi. https://doi.org/10.1111/trf.17963)