Reducing Resistance to Narrative Persuasion About Binge Drinking: The Role of Self-Activation and Habitual Drinking Behavior

Abstract

This study explores the effects of habitual health risk behaviors and self-activation on resistance to narrative persuasion. In two experiments, heavier drinkers were more resistant to an anti-binge-drinking narrative public service announcement (PSA) in which a binge drinker suffers a negative outcome. Specifically, heavier drinkers were more likely to generate counterarguments, unrealism judgments, and negative evaluations about the message compared to lighter drinkers or nondrinkers. However, activating self-concept when processing the persuasive narrative reduced unrealism judgments and negative evaluations, particularly among heavier drinkers. Self-activation also decreased perceived freedom threat among both heavier and lighter drinkers, which further led to higher perceived risk of binge drinking. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Developing, Disseminating, and Assessing Command Narrative: Anchoring Command Efforts on a Coherent Story

“…Self-activation occurs when a narrative depicts experiences that are directly relatable to an audience, allowing them to perceive the actions as happening to themselves, rather than perceiving events from the character's perspective. (Zhou andShapiro, 2017, p. 1298). Self-activation gives the narrative more credibility and evoking thoughts consistent with the narrative's message (Zhou andShapiro, 2017, p. 1298).…”

“…Self-activation gives the narrative more credibility and evoking thoughts consistent with the narrative's message (Zhou andShapiro, 2017, p. 1298). People can become acutely aware of selfrelated consciousness, including knowledge of a specific issue and/or personal associations related to that issue (Zhou andShapiro, 2017, p. 1298). Zhou and Shapiro (2017) found that this perspective was useful for narratives targeting people engaging in binge drinking.…”

“…People can become acutely aware of selfrelated consciousness, including knowledge of a specific issue and/or personal associations related to that issue (Zhou andShapiro, 2017, p. 1298). Zhou and Shapiro (2017) found that this perspective was useful for narratives targeting people engaging in binge drinking. Self-activation can be useful for reducing resistant behaviors such as counterarguing or perceiving the narrative as unrealistic (Zhou andShapiro, 2017, p. 1306).…”

Narrative formats for teenage pregnancy prevention. The effect of the narrative modality on preventive attitudes

“…In fact, research on the impact of narratives on health has received special attention in recent years, in issues such as organ donation (for example: Appel & Richter, 2010), over-the-counter drug use (Kim (Dunlop, Wakefield, & Kashima, 2010), alcohol consumption (Gebbers, Wit & Appel, 2017;Moyer-Gusé, Jain & Chung, 2012;Zhou & Shapiro, 2017) and HPV prevention (for example: Murphy et al, 2013;Nan, Futerfas & Ma, 2017), among others.…”

Formatos narrativos para la prevención del embarazo. Efecto de la modalidad narrativa en las actitudes de prevención

“…De hecho, la investigación sobre el impacto de las narrativas en salud ha recibido especial atención en los últimos años, en temas como la donación de órganos (por ejemplo, (Appel & Richter, 2010), el consumo de medicamentos sin prescripción (Kim & Shapiro, 2016), el uso de protección solar (Dunlop, Wakefield, & Kashima, 2010), el consumo de alcohol (Gebbers, Wit, & Appel, 2017;Moyer-Gusé, Jain, & Chung, 2012;Zhou & Shapiro, 2017), la prevención del virus del papiloma humano (por ejemplo, Murphy et al, 2013;Nan, Futerfas, & Ma, 2017), entre otros.…”