TY - JOUR
T1 - The persuasive efficacy of real versus salient hazard scenarios in motivating citizen-level hazard preparedness
AU - Adame, Bradley
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 Elsevier Ltd
Copyright:
Copyright 2018 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2018/10
Y1 - 2018/10
N2 - Despite projections that both the frequency and magnitude of natural and man-made hazards are expected to grow, U.S. government sponsored research continues to show that American citizens remain unprepared or underprepared for such events. Recently, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control launched a campaign framing citizen-level preparedness in the context of a zombie apocalypse. Using the Heuristic-Systematic model (HSM), this research measured several theoretically relevant cognitive and attitudinal constructs to examine the persuasive efficacy of the zombie message as compared to a similar one addressing a real, salient natural hazard. Results show that the salient threat message was more effective in promoting positive attitudes, cognitive processing, and behavioral intentions to prepare. Those who read about either a hurricane, tornado, or earthquake, were more likely to report more positive preparedness attitudes, increased preparedness knowledge, and increased behavioral intentions and enhanced risk perception. The results support the conclusion that preparedness messages tailored to locally salient threats facilitate systematic processing, and beneficial persuasive outcomes. Practitioners can use these findings to modify existing preparedness campaigns to bolster preparedness related attitudes, cognitions and behavioral intentions. Implications for communication theory and practice are discussed.
AB - Despite projections that both the frequency and magnitude of natural and man-made hazards are expected to grow, U.S. government sponsored research continues to show that American citizens remain unprepared or underprepared for such events. Recently, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control launched a campaign framing citizen-level preparedness in the context of a zombie apocalypse. Using the Heuristic-Systematic model (HSM), this research measured several theoretically relevant cognitive and attitudinal constructs to examine the persuasive efficacy of the zombie message as compared to a similar one addressing a real, salient natural hazard. Results show that the salient threat message was more effective in promoting positive attitudes, cognitive processing, and behavioral intentions to prepare. Those who read about either a hurricane, tornado, or earthquake, were more likely to report more positive preparedness attitudes, increased preparedness knowledge, and increased behavioral intentions and enhanced risk perception. The results support the conclusion that preparedness messages tailored to locally salient threats facilitate systematic processing, and beneficial persuasive outcomes. Practitioners can use these findings to modify existing preparedness campaigns to bolster preparedness related attitudes, cognitions and behavioral intentions. Implications for communication theory and practice are discussed.
KW - Natural disasters
KW - Preparedness
KW - Risk communication
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U2 - 10.1016/j.ijdrr.2018.05.019
DO - 10.1016/j.ijdrr.2018.05.019
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85048504478
SN - 2212-4209
VL - 31
SP - 292
EP - 301
JO - International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction
JF - International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction
ER -