Psychological ownership of health promotes self and other-oriented health behaviors

Purpose This research introduces and validates psychological ownership of health as a novel theoretical construct characterized by individuals’ perceived possessiveness, attachment and responsibility toward their health. This study aims to examine the construct’s ability to predict and explain consumers’ health-related decision-making for themselves and others. Design/methodology/approach Two online surveys with US participants ( N = 680) were conducted. The psychological ownership of health scale was first validated through confirmatory factor analysis. Next, the influence of psychological ownership of health on positive health behaviors and blood donation intentions was assessed using multiple regression analyses and conditional process modeling. Findings Psychological ownership of health demonstrated significant positive associations with health-promoting behaviors (dietary choices, physical activity, sleep hygiene) mediated by health self-efficacy. In addition, psychological ownership of health predicted increased blood donation intentions, and this relationship is amplified among individuals high in cultural collectivism. Practical implications The findings suggest that interventions fostering psychological ownership of health may simultaneously promote personal health maintenance and prosocial health behaviors. These dual implications offer promising applications for individualized and public health initiatives. Originality/value This research advances psychological ownership theory by establishing and validating a health-specific dimension that predicts critical health behaviors at individual and societal levels. By identifying cultural collectivism as a moderator, this research also integrates psychological ownership theory with cultural dimensions theory, revealing cultural variability in health ownership’s influence on prosocial health outcomes.