title: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Work and Social Psychology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Loes T E
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Kessels
authors.forename: Robert A C
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Ruiter
authors.forename: Liesbeth
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wouters
authors.forename: Bernadette M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Jansma
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D001288:Attention; D001362:Avoidance Learning; D032763:Behavior Control / Q000379:methods*; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D004569:Electroencephalography; D018913:Event-Related Potentials, P300; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010565:Persuasive Communication; D011930:Reaction Time; D021841:Safe Sex; D012907:Smoking
keywords: ERPs; defensiveness; fear appeals; health information; smoking