One in three transplant patients believe that they take on aspects of their donor’s personality, The Times Cheltenham Science Festival heard yesterday.

Scientists generally reject the idea that the transference of personal traits is possible. But some patients report feeling such a strong psychological connection to their donor that they believe they have taken on their memories and experiences, according to Professor Bruce Hood, a psychologist at the University of Bristol.

Professor Hood believes that superstitions and the tendency to confer emotional value to objects are hardwired in the human psyche and that even the most rational people have a superstitious side.

In a second study, based on a hypothetical scenario, 20 students were asked how they would feel about receiving lifesaving organs from a range of possible donors. When students were told that the donor was a murderer they were strongly opposed to receiving the organ. When told that the donor was a good person, their responses were more positive.

“Most people were repulsed by the thought of receiving a transplant from a murderer. Essentially they believe they will somehow take on those characteristics of the donor,” Professor Hood said.

In many cases patients respond positively to the belief that they have taken on aspects of another person’s character. Some have claimed to have developed a sharper memory or to have a newfound ability for mental arithmetic after a transplant. In reality, their psychological state and mental capacity improve because their all-round health is better.

“The psychological changes many patients experience have very good physiological explanations,” Professor Hood told the festival.

However, in some instances patients find the prospect of transplant surgery disturbing. In one case, a British teenager was given a heart transplant against her will because she feared that she would be “different with someone else’s heart”.

Attaching emotional value to objects is not unique to organ donation. Most people would refuse to have an engagement ring or other sentimental object replaced with one that was chemically and structurally identical. Similarly, great commercial value is attached to original art despite the fact that replicas are often indistinguishable.

Superstitions and supernatural beliefs are a byproduct of brain mechanisms that we have evolved to explain the world around us, according to Professor Hood. He rejects the idea that superstitious modes of thinking are purely the result of indoctrination or lack of education. Although superstitions have no rational foundation they can confer real benefits, he said. Having a good luck charm can boost a person’s confidence and result in greater success, for instance.

“It gives people a perception of control, which relieves stress and uncertainty,” Professor Hood said.

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