A study on the inadequacy of blood donations according to Festinger's cognitive dissonance approach

The insufficiency of blood donations is considered a social problem in many countries. Terror threats, natural disasters and large masses living in cities have been prompting countries to establish blood banks. Blood donation rates have been on the rise year by year in Turkey, but it is not possible to say that there are enough yet. For this reason, many studies exist both in Turkey and in the world. In this study, the problem of inability of blood donations is based on the determination of variables that affect the decision processes of people. In order to make this determination, as a method a scale was designed according to the assumptions of Festinger's "Cognitive Dissonance Approach". According to this approach, when people run into contradiction in the cognitive domain, they produce "new justifications" to achieve stabilization. The hypothesis has not been validated in the results of the survey, which includes the statements of four justified methods that Festinger has established. The judgement statements representing the hypotheses indicate the opinions of the participants against the action of blood donation. For this reason, the research includes important results for public spots, public relations activities and donor recruitment campaigns to increase the number of voluntary and regular blood donations.