A Protection Motivation Theory of Fear Appeals and Attitude Change1

Abstract

A protection motivation theory is proposed that postulates the three crucial components of a fear appeal to be (a) the magnitude of noxiousness of a depicted event; (b) the probability of that event's occurrence; and (c) the efficacy of a protective response. Each of these communication variables initiates corresponding cognitive appraisal processes that mediate attitude change. The proposed conceptualization is a special case of a more comprehensive theoretical schema: expectancy-value theories. Several suggestions are offered for reinterpreting existing data, designing new types of empirical research, and making future studies more comparable. Finally, the principal advantages of protection motivation theory over the rival formulations of Janis and Leventhal are discussed.

Obesity and Related Chronic Health Conditions as Predictors of Motivation to Engage in Healthy Eating Behaviors Among Black Adults

“…According to the Health Belief Model [21] and the Protection Motivation Theory [22], individuals who are aware of the negative consequences of illness are more likely to engage in health-promoting behaviors when compared to those who do not see themselves to be at risk for illness. Therefore, Blacks in the present study may be intrinsically motivated by the presence and negative consequences of having a number of chronic health conditions-which increased their motivation to eat healthy due to medical concerns.…”

“…The Health Belief Model posits that individuals who perceive themselves to be at risk for illness or the negative consequences of illness are more likely to engage in health-promoting behaviors than those who do not see themselves to be at risk [21]. Moreover, Rogers' Protection Motivation Theory states that perceived risk and severity of illness influence motivation to engage in health-promoting behaviors, which in turn influences actual behavior [22].…”

Personal Informatics, Self-Insight, and Behavior Change: A Critical Review of Current Literature

“…The TTM is well suited to application to PI and the self-improvement hypothesis because it deals with sustained behavior change: change as a long-term process of preparation, change, and subsequent maintenance of new behavior(s). In addition, many of the concepts and ideas from the TTM are shared by a variety of other behavior (change) models, like the theory of planned behavior (Ajzen, 1985), the health belief model (Rosenstock, 1974), and various others (Bagozzi, 2000;Bandura, 1977Bandura, , 1991De Vries et al, 2003;Fishbein, 2000;Hagger & Chatzisarantis, 2014;Klein, Mogles, & Van Wissen, 2011;Kluger & DeNisi, 1998;Maes & Gebhardt, 2000;Rogers, 1975;Ryan, 2009;Schwarzer, 2008;Witte, 1992). For these reasons, we use the TTM as a starting point in our discussion of existing behavior change models and how they compare to the self-improvement hypothesis.…”

Analysis of hepatitis B vaccination behavior and vaccination willingness among migrant workers from rural China based on protection motivation theory

“…26,27 PMT argues that the protection motivation decision is made after people utilize information to assess a threat and the ability to deal with that threat. Two appraisal processes, threat appraisal and coping appraisal, are utilized before people take action.…”

“…PMT assumes that individual protection motivation is a linear function of 4 individual cognition factors: perceived severity of the threat, the individual's susceptibility to the threat, effectiveness of protection behavior against threat and the capacity of conducting protection behavior. 26 It is assumed that severity and susceptibility of the threat reduce adverse behavior reactions, while the effectiveness of the reaction and individual capacity enhance individual health behaviors. 28 Using Exploratory Factor Analysis method to build PMT factors…”