Abstract
While prior research has demonstrated the benefits of self-affirming individuals prior to exposing them to potentially threatening health messages, the current study assesses the feasibility of inducing self-affirmation vicariously through the success of a character in a narrative. In Study 1, college-age participants who regularly use e-cigarettes (N = 225) were randomly assigned to read one of two versions of a story depicting a college student of their own gender. The versions were identical except in the vicarious self-affirmation (VSA) condition, the main character achieves success (i.e., honored with a prestigious award) before being confronted by a friend about the dangers associated with their e-cigarette use; whereas in the vicarious control condition, the achievement is mentioned after the risk information. Results of the posttest and 10-day follow-up demonstrated that VSA reduced messages derogation, while increasing self-appraisal and perceived risk. The effect of VSA on e-cigarette outcomes was moderated by frequency of use, with heavier users benefiting the most. Study 2 (N = 152) confirmed that traditional value affirmation works with our stimuli on a comparable population.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 352-360 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Health communication |
| Volume | 34 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Feb 23 2019 |
Funding
Research reported in this publication was supported by the FDA Center for Tobacco Products and the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number P50CA180905. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH or the Food and Drug Administration. Research reported in this publication was supported by the FDA Center for Tobacco Products and the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number P50CA180905. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH or the Food and Drug Administration. The authors would like to thank the guest editors, Joseph N. Cappella and Seth Noar, who were particularly insightful and instrumental in guiding the paper throughout the review process. They are also grateful to the anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments on the paper. Research reported in this publication was supported by the FDA Center for Tobacco Products and the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number P50CA180905. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH or the Food and Drug Administration.
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Health(social science)
- Communication