Teens' Reactance to Anti-Smoking Public Service Announcements: How Norms Set the Stage.
Data from a study of the effects of anti-smoking ads were analyzed. This study measured the accessibility of peer and parent norms for smoking, exposed teens to three anti-smoking ads that either emphasized personal narratives of the dangers of smoking or had a surprise ending, and measured reactance to the messages. Readiness to smoke was assessed via a phone survey 3 months later. The accessibility of pro-smoking peer norms increased readiness to engage in smoking behavior through reactance toward anti-smoking messages. The accessibility of parent norms was unrelated to reactance. Reactance was particularly strong when the ads included a surprise ending. Peer norms that oppose smoking, particularly if they can be brought to mind quickly, are an important protective factor in that they may reduce reactance to anti-smoking messages.
a Department of Advertising and Public Relations , Michigan State University , East Lansing , Michigan , USA.
Nancy
N
Rhodes
b School of Communication , The Ohio State University , Columbus , Ohio , USA.
Rachel
R
Ralston
c Department of Communication , University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Urbana , Illinois , USA.
Elisabeth
E
Bigsby
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D010379:Peer Group; D066308:Public Service Announcements as Topic; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D066262:Social Norms