title: Comparing the effects of negative and mixed emotional messages on predicted occasional excessive drinking.
abstract: In this work we present two types of emotional message, negative (sadness) versus mixed (joy and sadness), with the aim of studying their differential effect on attitude change and the probability estimated by participants of repeating the behavior of occasional excessive drinking in the near future. The results show that for the group of participants with moderate experience in this behavior the negative message, compared to the mixed one, is associated with higher probability of repeating the risk behavior and a less negative attitude toward it. These results suggest that mixed emotional messages (e.g. joy and sadness messages) could be more effective in campaigns for the prevention of this risk behavior.
authors.affiliation: Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (Spain).
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Carrera
authors.affiliation: Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (Spain).
authors.forename: Amparo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Caballero
authors.affiliation: Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (Spain).
authors.forename: Dolores
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Muñoz
keywords: alcohol use; attitude change; mixed emotions; risk behavior