An analysis of perceived altruism was conducted within the framework of Kelley's (1973) attributional model. In a 2 by 2 factorial design, the consistency and distinctiveness of a donor's prosocial history were manipulated. Subjects were provided with written scenarios depicting the work of a voluntary welfare organization aiding the elderly. Subsequent evaluations of the donor-actors on the altruism dimension revealed that there is a direct relationship of consistency and an inverse relationship of distinctiveness with the attribution of altruism. (Author)