Testing a Brief Scale Format Self-affirmation Induction for Use in Health Communication Research and Practice

ABSTRACT

Research on self-affirmation has potential to inform the field’s understanding of health message resistance and acceptance. However, widely used self-affirmation instruments have several disadvantages that can lead to inconsistent success in generating self-affirmation and thus may explain inconsistent self-affirmation effects, or at the very least make their use cumbersome. In a series of three sequential studies, we introduced and tested a brief attribute scale format self-affirmation induction (brief scale affirmation task, or B-SAT) that was based on the 32-item attribute scale self-affirmation induction developed by Napper, Harris, and Epton. Using different behavioral contexts, we compared the performance of the B-SAT with that of two widely used self-affirmation inductions, i.e., the value essay task and the 32-item attribute scale. From a convergent validity perspective, the B-SAT performed as effectively as the two existing inductions in making people aware of their cherished and desirable values. From a predictive validity perspective, the B-SAT reduced defensive responses to a self-relevant health message and improved instrumental attitude toward the recommended behavior.