Search

Building upon recent theoretical perspectives on emotional flow and the dynamic nature of fear appeals specifically, this study examined the sequencing effects of the emotions (i.e., fear and hope) induced from a fear appeal on persuasion in the context of MMR vaccination. Specifically, an experiment (N = 386) with 2 video messages was conducted that manipulated the sequence in which participants experienced fear and hope, resulting in a fear → hope appeal and a hope → fear appeal. The findings show that the fear → hope appeal was more effective in increasing activism intentions than the hope → fear appeal. Fear and hope at different time points served as mediators for this effect. In addition, issue relevance was a moderator for this effect such that the fear → hope appeal was more effective only among those perceiving the issue as highly relevant. Discussions and implications are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked hostility against Chinese immigrants and sojourners in the U.S. and other countries. Making the situation worse, strong resentment against this group has also emerged in China due to the fear of returnees spreading the disease. Integrating research on acculturation and hostile media perception, we examined how such bilateral hostility along with different acculturation components (i.e., cultural identification, COVID-19-related media use, and individualistic-collectivistic value) influenced U.S.-dwelling Chinese's psychological well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the results from a two-wave survey assessing the cultural identity and value, COVID-19-related media use, and psychological distress of a group of relatively young and highly educated U.S.-dwelling Chinese (N = 1,256) between March and April 2020, we found that identification with both U.S. and Chinese cultures alleviated immigrants and sojourners' psychological distress. Further, COVID-19-related media use served as a stressor during the pandemic, and perceived hostility from China led to stronger psychological distress among U.S.-dwelling Chinese. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The order in which individuals receive information about wildlife may influence their attitude toward wildlife differently. We explored order effects of a threat message that induced more fear versus a suffering message that elicited more compassion on attitude toward wildlife. Specifically, we focused on bats, a risk-laden species also suffering massive mortalities due to a disease affecting bat populations across the United States. We randomly assigned 1,506 U.S. adults to one of eight message conditions as part of a 2 (message order: suffering → threat vs. threat → suffering) × 2 (suffering messages) × 2 (threat messages) between-subjects factorial design or a control (no message) condition. We found a significant two-way interaction between message order and biospheric values on attitude toward bats. For people with high biospheric values, reading a suffering message first led to a more positive attitude than reading a threat message first, whereas reading a threat message first led to a more positive attitude than reading a suffering message first for people with low biospheric values. Compassion but not fear mediated these effects. Theoretical and practical implications are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of recovery journey self-disclosures on social media among individuals with substance use and mental disorders has increased in recent years. However, the effects of exposure to such self-disclosures on public attitudes towards these groups remain poorly understood. To address this research gap, this study investigated the impact of viewing a series of Instagram posts depicting a person's sober journey that ends positively on the attitudes and policy support of 1437 self-selected U.S. adults. The experiment employed a 2 (relapse narrative: present vs. absent) × 2 (viewing order: chronological vs. reverse-chronological) × 4 (media persona with different genders and races) between-subjects factorial design. While the experimental manipulations did not have a total effect on attitudes and policy support, the study found that the presence of a relapse narrative within a sober journey story increased perceived perseverance, parasocial interaction, and identification, which in turn affected attitudes and policy support in different ways. Furthermore, the viewing order of the posts moderated the effects of a relapse narrative on these variables. The results are discussed in terms of their theoretical contributions and practical implications. • Effects of relapse narratives on Instagram were examined. • Relapse narratives increased perceived perseverance. • Relapse narratives enhanced parasocial interaction and identification. • Viewing orders moderated the effects of relapse narratives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How do religious affiliation and beliefs shape vaccine attitudes and behaviors? This study examined the associations of attitudes and behaviors relevant to the flu, measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), and human-papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines with religious affiliations, as well as philosophical, spiritual, and moral beliefs. Respondents were 3005 adults from a probability-based, four-wave panel survey in the United States. Longitudinal structural equation modeling examined how religious affiliations and philosophical/moral beliefs shaped attitudes toward vaccines and actual vaccination. Stronger philosophical beliefs predicted more negative attitudes toward each vaccine and stronger moral beliefs more negative attitudes toward the HPV vaccine. Negative vaccine attitudes then predicted weaker intentions to encourage others to vaccinate and lower probability of receiving a vaccine. Theoretical and public health messaging implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]