When Do Public Health Epilogues Correct the Influence of Alcohol Story Lines on Youth? The Interplay of Narrative Transportation and Persuasion Knowledge

Abstract

Youth drinking is a major public health problem. Entertainment content that positively depicts alcohol consumption is often implicated as a factor shaping youths' attitudes and beliefs about drinking alcohol. This research examines whether and under which conditions corrective epilogues can counteract the influence of a television episode featuring positive consequences of drinking. Building on recent research that demonstrates how consumers' persuasion knowledge can increase acceptance of a message, this study finds that persuasion knowledge enhances receptivity to epilogues but only among viewers who are highly transported into the story. The research points to a promising approach to remedy the potentially harmful influence of a story line depicting undesirable behaviors on a vulnerable population.

Warning of persuading attempts and ambiguity within advertising contexts in Mexico

“…al., 2021) and, on the other hand, the ones that are ambiguous turn out to be less persuasive (Lim et. al., 2021;Russell et. al., 2019).…”

“…al., 2017;Briñol et. al., 2015;Fein, 1996;Hamby & Brinberg, 2018;Hudders et al, 2017;Russell et. al., 2019;Vonk, 1998;Zboja et al, 2021).…”

“…Therefore, making higher inferences about potential situations or influential motives require a higher cognitive ability, or previous experiences of persuading attempts that are a part of the consumer's acquired knowledge (Uleman, 1987;Hudders et al, 2017;Germelmann et. al., 2020;Russell et. al., 2019).…”

“…The beliefs people have about how persuasion works on advertising and marketing can play an important role on how people respond to persuasion attempts by different influence agents (Briñol et. al., 2015;Hudders et al, 2017;Hamby & Brinberg, 2018;Isaac & Grayson, 2017;Russell et. al., 2019).…”

The art and science of systemic wellness in Black communities: Qualitative evaluation of a multimodal theatrical production

“…Being in such a suspended state of reality can make one more susceptible to influence (Escalas, 2007). Conversely, those in a low transportation state may approach counterbeliefs with great scepticism (Russell et al, 2019). Transportation through narrative can cause cognitive and affective reactions, thus shifting a person’s beliefs, attitudes and intentions (Van Laer et al, 2013).…”