title: Fear, threat and efficacy in threat appeals: message involvement as a key mediator to message acceptance.
abstract: In a sample of 170 youngsters, the effect of two versions of a public service announcement (PSA) threat appeal against speeding, placed in four different contexts, on evoked fear, perceived threat (severity and probability of occurrence), perceived response efficacy and self-efficacy, message involvement and anti-speeding attitude and anti-speeding intention is investigated. Evoked fear and perceived threat and efficacy independently influence message involvement. Message involvement is a full mediator between evoked fear, perceived threat and efficacy perception on the one hand, and attitudes towards the message and behavioral intention to accept the message on the other. Speeding experience has a significantly negative impact on anti-speeding attitudes. Message and medium context threat levels and context thematic congruency have a significant effect on evoked fear and to a lesser extent on perceived threat.
authors.affiliation: Ghent University and University of Antwerp, Ghent University, Department of Communication Sciences, Korte Meer 9-11, BE-9000 Gent, Belgium. Verolien.cauberghe@ugent.be
authors.forename: Verolien
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cauberghe
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: De Pelsmacker
authors.forename: Wim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Janssens
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dens
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000523:psychology*; D003068:Coercion; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D009040:Motion Pictures; D010565:Persuasive Communication; D055815:Young Adult