Neuroscientific evidence for defensive avoidance of fear appeals

Abstract

Previous studies indicate that people respond defensively to threatening health information, especially when the information challenges self-relevant goals. The authors investigated whether reduced acceptance of self-relevant health risk information is already visible in early attention allocation processes. In two experimental studies, participants were watching high- and low-threat health commercials, and at the same time had to pay attention to specific odd auditory stimuli in a sequence of frequent auditory stimuli (odd ball paradigm). The amount of attention allocation was measured by recording event-related brain potentials (i.e., P300 ERPs) and reaction times. Smokers showed larger P300 amplitudes in response to the auditory targets while watching high-threat instead of low-threat anti-smoking commercials. In contrast, non-smokers showed smaller P300 amplitudes during watching high as opposed to low threat anti-smoking commercials. In conclusion, the findings provide further neuroscientific support for the hypothesis that threatening health information causes more avoidance responses among those for whom the health threat is self-relevant.

Perceived effectiveness of text and pictorial health warnings for smokeless tobacco packages in Navi Mumbai, India, and Dhaka, Bangladesh: findings from an experimental study

“…These findings are in line with marketing research, which suggests that negative emotions such as fear and disgust underlie the effectiveness of warnings 41–44. Although some neurophysiological data suggest gruesome images may elicit ‘defensive avoidance’,45 46 experimental and population-based studies have failed to detect any significant adverse outcomes from defensive reactions such as avoidance 47–49. Further, a recent study50 that examined the impact of cigarette warnings on quit attempts via mediational pathways found that avoidance behaviour actually increased the frequency of thinking about the harmful effects of smoking.…”

From elicitation to consumption: assessing the longitudinal effectiveness of negative emotional appeals in social marketing

“…Individual level Females are more persuaded by fear-based messages than males Lennon, Rentfro, and O'Leary (2010) and Samu and Bhatnagar (2008) The tendency to seek strong sensations/experiences weakens the persuasiveness of fear appeals Becheur, Dib, Merunka, and Valette-Florence (2008) Individuals with favourable attitudes to advertised behaviour more persuaded by fear appeals than those with less favourable attitude Jäger and Eisend (2013) Repeated exposure or familiarity with a behaviour reduces the persuasiveness of fear appeals Andrews et al (2014), Kessels et al (2014) and Kim et al (2014) Self-efficacy influences attitudes towards the advert and increases persuasiveness Manyiwa and Brennan (2012) Low-intensity fear-based appeals work better with high uncertainty-avoidant respondents than highintensity appeals Reardon, Miller, Foubert, Vida, and Rybina (2006) Individuals highly committed to the worldview of drinking alcohol are less responsive to death-based fear appeals than lesser appeals Shehryar and Hunt (2005) Individuals with children are more responsive to potential health threats Latour and Tanner (2003) Stronger experiences of fear increase persuasion Terblanche-Smit and Terblanche (2010) More influenced by fear appeals when discussed with friends than with strangers Samu and Bhatnagar (2008) (Continued ) …”

Evaluation of the Knowledge and Perceptions with Regards to Pictorial Health Warnings on Tobacco Products among Tobacco Users Diagnosed with Head and Neck Carcinoma: a Study from the Kumaon Hills of India

“…They serve the purpose of maintaining a selfimage despite obvious cause for emotional/psychological distress. Though defense mechanisms serve to help individuals to cope up with routine situations they are pathological if they are used to ignore the warning signs of something known to be harmful, or wrong (Bell, 1965;Abrams, 1968;Kessels et al, 2014).…”