EFFECTIVENESS OF TRAFFIC SAFETY FILMS IN RELATION TO EMOTIONAL INVOLVEMENT.

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ENROLLED IN FOUR DRIVER EDUCATION CLASSES WERE SHOWN A TRAFFIC SAFETY FILM, THEN TESTED FOR INFORMATION RETENTION AFTER 10 MINUTES AND AGAIN AFTER 1 WEEK. FORGETTING WAS DEFINED AS A CORRECT RESPONSE ON THE FIRST TEST BUT NOT ON THE SECOND, WHILE REMINISCENCE WAS DEFINED AS THE CONVERSE. RETENTION WAS DEFINED AS A CORRECT RESPONSE BOTH TIMES. ANXIETY AROUSAL DURING FILM PRESENTATION WAS MEASURED VIA GALVANIC SKIN RESPONSE AND PLOTTED THROUGH SUCCESSIVE MINUTES OF THE FILM. THE PRIMARY HYPOTHESIS THAT FORGETTING, RETENTION, AND REMINISCENCE WOULD BE ASSOCIATED WITH SMALLER, MEDIUM, AND LARGER INCREASES IN AROUSAL NEAR THE MOMENT OF PRESENTATION WAS SUPPORTED. THIS FINDING RUNS COUNTER TO A BELIEF OFTEN EXPRESSED IN THE LITERATURE (BUT, AS POINTED OUT IN A LENGTHY REVIEW IN THIS REPORT, NOT SUPPORTED BY EVIDENCE) THAT COMMUNICATION EFFECTIVENESS DEPENDS ON A LOW LEVEL OF ANXIETY AROUSAL OR AN AROUSAL REDUCTION. THESE RESULTS IMPLY THAT TRAFFIC SAFETY FILMS (FOR INSTANCE) MAY BE MORE EFFECTIVE IF ANXIETY OR FEAR IS AROUSED. A COROLLARY CONCLUSION IS THAT AN EFFECTIVE FILM SHOULD ALTERNATE SEQUENCES THAT AROUSE AND REDUCE ANXIETY, WITH INFORMATION PRESENTED AT MOMENTS OF ANXIETY AROUSAL ONLY. CONTENT OF ANXIETY-AROUSING SEQUENCES NEED NOT BE PERTINENT TO INFORMATION TO BE RETAINED. IN A METHODOLOGICAL ASIDE, THE AUTHORS STRESS THE NECESSITY FOR A DELAYED TEST OF INFORMATION RETENTION, BECAUSE OF THE REMINISCENCE PHENOMENON. (BP)