The economics of symbolic goods and the creation of a favorable environment for organ and tissue donation: an analysis of campaigns to promote organ and tissue donation

Abstract This article aims to analyze which are the symbols that the National Transplant System (STN) produces to build a favorable environment for organ and tissue donation. The study is based on the analysis of symbolism in advertising discourses of Brazilian organizations that promote organ and tissue donation. A theoretical plan is presented to discuss the principles at the base of the economy of symbolic exchanges within a social logic. The article argues that this process stimulates altruistic behavior and aims to avoid the mercantile behavior around organ and tissue donation. In the empirical plan, a semiotic analysis in organ donation advertise campaigns was conducted, observing that public and private actors use a set of symbols aiming to establish subjective truths that stimulate the donation in opposition to mercantile behavior.

摘要 本文旨在剖析国家移植系统（National Transplant System，缩写STN）为营造器官与组织捐献的有利环境所生成的各类符号。本研究以巴西境内推广器官与组织捐献的相关组织的广告话语符号学分析为基础，搭建了一套理论框架以探讨社会逻辑下符号交换经济的底层原则。本文提出，该过程可激发利他行为，旨在规避器官与组织捐献领域的商业化行为。在实证部分，本文针对器官捐献宣传活动开展符号学分析，结果发现公共与私营行为主体均运用一系列符号，旨在建立能够激发捐献行为的主观认知，以对抗商业化行为。