Culturally tailored narrative evidence about family health history: a moderated mediation analysis

This study tests a theoretical model named the Extended Elaboration Likelihood Model for Narrative Evidence Processing (EELM-NEP) to investigate associations between message processing, message outcomes, and behavioral intentions (BI) in the context of family health history communication. Furthermore, to investigate the role of cultural tailoring within these associations, this study explores how the type of culturally tailored narrative evidence and participants’ cultural identity moderate the relationships between message processing, message outcomes, and BI. A percentile bootstrap method and pairwise comparison tests in structural equation modeling (SEM) were employed. According to the results, identification significantly predicted engagement, and engagement had significant and positive effects on perceived message quality (PMQ), comprehension, perceived message effectiveness (PME), and BI. PME and resistance to counter-arguing significantly and positively affected BI. Importantly, the EELM-ENP model as well as pairwise comparison tests revealed that the messages were more effective when the participants read culturally distant messages. Findings suggest that cultural novelty might be more effective than cultural closeness in narrative persuasion.     

Testing the mediating role of cognitive responses in the elaboration likelihood model

Cognitive response theories such as the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) have been criticized for lacking appropriate and rigorous empirical testing. As a result, the ELM in particular has little support for the proposed causal mechanism, cognitive responses, as a mediating variable between messages and attitude change. Using argument quality and source credibility manipulations, this investigation examines several causal models to assess the role of cognitive responses in the ELM. In general, the data supported the ELM's prediction that high quality arguments produce more favorable thoughts and subsequently more attitude change for high involvement receivers. Although a structural equation model supports the mediating role of cognitive responses in the ELM, the data are more consistent with a model derived from Information Processing Theory.     

Syntactic Indeterminacy,Perceived Message Sensation Value-Enhancing Features,and Message Processing in the Context of Anti-Tobacco Advertisements An earlier version of this manuscript was presented at the 2004 National Communication Association Annual Convention in Chicago,IL, November 11–14, 2004

Fast-paced and arousing anti-drug ads, considered to have high perceived message sensation value (PMSV), enhance message processing and reduce drug use among young adults. Studies have yet to explore the relationship between specific, PMSV-enhancing message features and outcomes related to persuasion. Messaris’ (1997) concept of syntactic indeterminacy provides one plausible explanation for why message features contained in high PMSV ads might enhance message processing and subsequent changes in attitudes and behavior. The study explored this explanation by coding specific anti-tobacco ads for PMSV-enhancing features, merging these codes to a telephone survey among teens, and testing the relationship between message features and processing. The number of unrelated cuts and the use of suspenseful features (intense imagery and a second-half punch) increased message processing among older teens. An additive index comprised of these features was associated with message processing among both younger and older teens. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.     

The responses of theatre audiences,experimental studies,experimental studies

After setting in proper perspective the nature and extent of the influence of the Reverend Solomon Stoddard, the author attempts to show that in major degree Stoddard's influence depended upon his theories and practice of persuasion. To accomplish his persuasive goal of promoting increased religious devotion—under control of the Church, Stoddard applied an integrated pattern of persuasion: he evoked the aid of civil authorities, urged New Englanders to reform, swept the people into the churches by changes in admission policies, exerted greater control over individuals and churches by means of reforms of liturgy and church organization, and—most important to students of speech—practiced and taught to other ministers his techniques for inducing conversion.     

Anger,fear, uncertainty,and attitudes: a test of the cognitive-functional model

The cognitive-functional model of discrete negative emotions and attitude change (CFM; Nabi, 1999) attempts to bridge the theoretical gap between “emotional” and “rational” approaches to persuasion by focusing on how emotions motivate attention to and processing of persuasive messages. As a first test of the CFM, this study explored the effects of 2 emotions, anger and fear, and 2 levels of expectation of message reassurance, certainty and uncertainty, on attitudes toward domestic terrorism legislation. Results supported a main effect for emotion type, suggesting that anger promotes deeper information processing than fear, and a main effect for reassurance certainty level, with uncertainty promoting deeper information processing. The expected interaction between emotion type and reassurance expectation level was not found. Implications of these findings for the model and persuasion research generally are discussed.     

Metaphor and Intra-Attitudinal Structural Coherence

Metaphor is ubiquitous as a persuasion device although the process by which its effects are achieved is still not yet fully understood. The study proposes that the trope's persuasive outcomes derive from an emergent structural match between linguistic and conceptual metaphor that produces coherence among the structural components of attitude; a literal-only message offers no such match and hence by comparison less attitude coherence. To test this proposition, four hypotheses related to metaphor's effect on attitude and intra-attitudinal structural coherence were tested by manipulating message type (metaphor vs. literal), knowledge of metaphor target/attitude object (low vs. high), and placement of metaphor/literal equivalent (message introduction vs. conclusion). Results provided moderate support for the predictions.     

Identification as a mediator of celebrity effects

Considerable research has been devoted to the effects of celebrity endorsers on consumer behavior. Most of the research has examined credibility or attractiveness as a determinant of message effectiveness, A review of Burke, Kelman, and Bandura's theories suggests that there may be another critical factor underlying celebrity effects — identification. A review of previous research results suggests that identification may be a viable explanation for the effectiveness of celebrity endorsers. A test of the identification effect was probed by examining people's personal concern, perceived risk, and sexual behaviors a year after Magic Johnson's announcement that he tested positive for HIV. The results of this study indicate that identification mediates message effects. This finding has important implications for media campaigns. It suggests that a spokesperson with whom the audience identifies insures the greatest likelihood of achieving lasting attitude or behavior change.     

The effective use of fear appeals in persuasive immunization: An analysis of national immunization intervention messages

This paper reports application of a theoretical persuasive health message framework grounded in literature on fear appeals, message design logic, and health persuasion theory to assess the effectiveness of the materials used most frequently by national immunization organizations in the United States. The severity of the problem of inadequate preschool immunization with its associated target audience and barriers is identified. Analysis revealed that national immunization message designers are creating materials most likely to match what health communication research would recommend along the dimension of response efficacy (i.e., showing parents that attaining immunizations is realistic, available, affordable, safe, and effectively prevents specific diseases). However the materials were least likely to match along the dimension of self‐efficacy (i.e., building parents’ beliefs that they have the ability and motivation to perform preventive immunization behavior for their children). Implications for practitioners in developing more effective immunization fear appeals, and suggestions for future research in the area, are addressed in the Conclusion.     

Threat appeals and persuasion: Seeking and finding the elusive curvilinear effect

One of the earliest theories of threat appeals, the drive model, predicts that the fear–persuasion relationship is characterized by an inverted U-curve. Evidence of such a curve has proven elusive, probably because, in reality, there are two curvilinear hypotheses, not one. Existing primary studies and meta-analyses have tested the between-persons version of the inverted U-curve and found it wanting. In contrast, this study reports on a within-persons version and finds clear support for it. A peaked curve predicted change in intention to use dental floss, whereas a flatter curve did not. Partitioning the sample on individual differences in the behavioral inhibition system produced curves that did not differ in their ability to predict persuasion. Because no contemporary theory of threat appeals can predict these curvilinear findings, researchers should reconsider the utility of drive theory.     

The Effects of Government Censorship of War-Related News Coverage on Interest in the Censored Coverage: A Test of Competing Theories

Using experimental data from a split-ballot survey conducted just after the 2004 U.S. presidential election, we tested competing predictions from reactance and balance theories on the effect of government censorship of images of ceremonies that include caskets containing dead U.S. soldiers on interest in viewing such images. In contrast to the reactance theory prediction that knowledge of the censorship should prompt increased interest in viewing the images, the effects of knowledge of the policy depended on attraction to George W. Bush, and sometimes knowledge of the policy prompted reduced interest in the photographs. Inconsistencies between the results and predictions derived from reactance and balance theories are resolved using a simple cognitive response model from the persuasion literature.     

Does It Matter If I Feel Sorry or Sorry for You? Testing the Roles of Empathy and Sympathy as Mechanisms Driving Viewer Response to a Dramatic Ad

Narrative messages on average produce higher levels of involvement, intention, and behavior than other message formats. Narratives also generate feelings of sympathy and empathy, although few studies have directly compared the roles of each emotion in the persuasion process. This article presents the results of two studies that tested the effect of exposure to a narrative or nonnarrative ad on persuasive outcomes and the roles sympathy and empathy play in the persuasion process. Both studies found that the narrative ad produced higher levels of involvement, intention, and behavior and that empathy played a more important role in persuasion than sympathy.     

Sequential Information Integration and Belief Trajectories: An Experimental Study Using Candidate Evaluations

Using an extended model of information integration theory, the sequential information integration model (SIIM), the effects of initially presented information on belief trajectories were investigated. SIIM predicts (a) damped oscillatory trajectories when congruent information and incongruent information are presented alternately; and (b) smaller amplitudes of trajectories when initial beliefs have greater weight. An experiment was conducted that utilized a hypothetical election (N=201). Participants initially received specific (vs. no) information about candidates’ positions on issues and then indicated their evaluation of the candidates 11 times in response to additional pieces of information that were provided over time. As predicted, belief trajectories were found to have damped oscillatory patterns. The amplitude of the trajectories was smaller for participants with strong party identification than for those with weak party identification. Implications of these findings for theories of persuasion and political decision-making are discussed.     

Understanding social influence: Relations between lay and technical perspectives

This essay urges an appropriately complicated view of the relationship of the actor's and the researcher's perspectives on persuasion and social influence. As a foil for this project, it initially sketches an interpretive‐phenomenological approach that takes the researcher's central project to be that of describing the actor's point of view. It then argues that because commonsensical conceptions of how persuasion works contain beliefs that are not well‐founded, reproducing the actor's perspective will yield an inevitably inadequate account of social influence. For quantitative studies of persuasion, this points to the importance of assessing actual (as opposed to perceived) message effects; for qualitative investigations, this emphasizes the dangers of unreflective reliance on interview data.     

Alcohol's Getting a Bit More Social: When Alcohol Marketing Messages on Facebook Increase Young Adults’ Intentions to Imbibe

This study investigates the effects of social media marketing of alcoholic beverages using a 2 (likes: low vs. high) × 2 (shares: low vs. high) × 3 (display ad type: alcohol ad vs. antibinge drinking PSA vs. local bank) × 6 (status update repetitions) experimental design. The study examines how evaluations of alcohol marketing status updates and display advertisements predict social media users’ intentions to consume alcohol, as a function of message virality and display ad type. Participants’ viral behavioral intentions (intentions to like, share, and comment on) for status updates were strongest in predicting intentions to consume alcohol, and this relationship was strongest when the Facebook status update had high likes and shares. The article argues that alcohol marketing on social media reflects a social norm of alcohol consumption, which leads users to consume more alcoholic drinks. Findings are discussed within the framework of persuasion theories and policy changes regarding regulation of alcohol marketing on social media.     

我国“手机图书馆”学术研究现状与趋势——基于中国知网(CNKI)的文献调查分析

随着"手机图书馆"的运用和发展,国内相关的学术研究也取得一定的研究成果。对中国知网的相关文献调查与分析表明,目前"手机图书馆"的研究主要有应用研究、技术理论和交叉研究等。论文基于对中国知网的文献调查,分析了"手机图书馆"学术研究的趋势。     

Persuasion,information technology,and the environmental citizen: An empirical study of the persuasion effectiveness of city applications

As the negative environmental impacts of cities continue to grow, citizens must be involved in climate change mitigation initiatives. A range of policy instruments can be used by municipal policy makers to encourage citizens to engage in environmentally responsible behaviours. Information and communications technology (ICT) is an important lever for changing individuals' behaviours and thus is increasingly found among the policy approaches adopted by cities. This research focuses on cities' use of ICT-enabled persuasion. Combining the unimodel of persuasion with the persuasive system design framework, the research develops and tests a theoretical model explaining how dimensions of the user context (green identity, goal intention) and technology context (integration support) influence the persuasiveness of city-sponsored applications with respect to environmentally responsible behaviours performed in the home and community. A survey of 203 individuals in North America shows that goal intention and integration support provided by the applications significantly influence perceived persuasion effectiveness for environmentally responsible behaviours at home. For environmentally responsible behaviours in the community, all three independent variables have a positive influence on the perceived persuasion effectiveness. The research extends the digital government literature by investigating an emerging policy intervention and providing a novel theoretical explanation of how elements within an ICT-enabled persuasion event come together to affect individuals' behaviours. Furthermore, the research provides municipal policy makers with new insights into how to design an ICT-enabled policy instrument for encouraging greater environmental citizenship.     

Media metaphors: Two models for rhetorically criticizing the political television spot advertisement

In every election year, concern is raised about the spot commercial for and against various candidates. To date, little rhetorical‐critical research has been done concerning the political television commercial, though more has been done from a quantitative perspective. Two models of perspectives on the way the television spot message works are presented here—the transportation model and the evoked‐recall model. They imply the use of one of two message types: those using methods which focus on the logic or reasoning in the ad and those which focus on the ad from a metaphorical or dramatic methodology.     

Predicting attitude from desirability and likelihood ratings of rhetorical propositions

This report focuses on two antecedent variables, dogmatism and need for social approval of the receivers. The study tested whether either antecedent variable would affect the relationship between message strategy and resistance to persuasion.     

Analogy in persuasion: Translator's dictionary or art?

Rhetorical and communication scholars have long asserted the significance of analogy in persuasion. A variety of persuasive roles have been stipulated for analogies. These accounts are inconsistent, so individual explanations are either inaccurate or incomplete. This essay aims to refine understandings of analogy by reviewing, critiquing, and synthesizing several classical and contemporary rhetorical analyses, a cognitive model of analogy processing, and dual‐process theories of persuasion. The synthesis, which is presented in an integrated set of propositions, offers a systematic view of the potential suasory roles of explanatory and expressive analogies. Suggestions for testing the propositions are discussed as well.