CONTEXT: Regarding the increasing gap between demand and supply of donororgans the question is increasingly discussed, if families of organ donors should receive a financialincentive for consenting to organ donation. However, little attention has been paid to the psychologicalconsequences of such incentives. OBJECTIVE: We discuss the question of financial incentives for familiesof presumed organ donors in the light of relevant psychological theories. DATA SOURCES AND STUDY SELECTION:Overview of the psychological literature. Only well established theories were included. CONCLUSIONS:We summarise, that financial benefits for consent to organ donoation could affect adversely the publicopinion toward organ donation and the whole process of transplantation and thus could counterproductivelyinfluence the consent rates.

Keywords: Cognitive Dissonance