Negative affect, message reactance and perceived risk: how do pictorial cigarette pack warnings change quit
Marissa G Hall1,2, Paschal Sheeran1,3, Seth M Noar1,4
1Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Tobacco Control
|December 18, 2017
Summary
Pictorial cigarette pack warnings boost quit intentions by increasing negative emotions. However, message reactance slightly reduces this effect, while perceived risk remains unchanged. This research explores how smokers respond to graphic warning labels.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Behavioral Science
- Health Communication
Background:
- Graphic warning labels on cigarette packs are a key tobacco control strategy.
- Understanding the psychological mechanisms behind their effectiveness is crucial for optimizing public health campaigns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the mediating roles of negative affect, message reactance, and perceived risk in the relationship between pictorial warnings and quit intentions.
- To analyze how these psychological factors influence smokers' motivation to quit.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 2149 adult US smokers.
- Smokers were assigned to receive either pictorial or text-only warnings on cigarette packs for 4 weeks.
- Structural equation modeling was used to test the proposed mediational model.
Main Results:
- Pictorial warnings significantly increased negative affect, message reactance, and quit intentions.
- Negative affect positively mediated the effect of pictorial warnings on quit intentions.
- Message reactance partially attenuated the positive impact of pictorial warnings on quit intentions.
- No significant direct effect of pictorial warnings on perceived risk was observed.
Conclusions:
- Pictorial cigarette pack warnings enhance quit intentions primarily through increased negative affect.
- Message reactance acts as a partial buffer against the effectiveness of pictorial warnings.
- The complex interplay between negative affect and reactance may explain the lack of significant changes in perceived risk.
More Related Videos
14:21Creating Dynamic Images of Short-lived Dopamine Fluctuations with lp-ntPET: Dopamine Movies of Cigarette Smoking
Published on: August 6, 2013
18.9K
09:50Impact Assessment of Repeated Exposure of Organotypic 3D Bronchial and Nasal Tissue Culture Models to Whole Cigarette Smoke
Published on: February 12, 2015
11.7K
Related Concept Videos
01:29Stimulants
1.0K
Stimulants are substances that enhance neural activity and elevate dopamine levels in the brain, leading to their highly addictive nature. These drugs include cocaine, amphetamines, MDMA, caffeine, and nicotine, each with distinct mechanisms of action and varied health implications.
Cocaine can be administered via snorting, injection, or smoking. It primarily functions by blocking the reuptake of dopamine, resulting in a euphoric high characterized by an intense sensation of happiness and...
Cocaine can be administered via snorting, injection, or smoking. It primarily functions by blocking the reuptake of dopamine, resulting in a euphoric high characterized by an intense sensation of happiness and...
1.0K
03:26Framing Effects
8.0K
Information is everywhere and its presentation—such as how and when items are presented—can impact our perceptions and decisions surrounding the info. This broad concept umbrellas framing effects—influences that occur due to the way information is framed in its appearance, whether it’s purely the order or the specific wording of a message. Let’s take a look at numerous ways in which two versions of something can objectively say the same thing, yet we respond in...
8.0K
01:26Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques IV
279
Stress often leads to unhealthy habits like smoking, excessive drinking, and overeating, which offer short-term relief but ultimately increase long-term health risks. These behaviors create a cycle that temporarily lowers stress levels but can result in severe long-term health consequences. Breaking these habits is essential to reduce the risk of chronic diseases and improve overall well-being. Three primary changes that support better health include quitting smoking, reducing alcohol intake,...
279
01:38Cognitive Dissonance
37.5K
Social psychologists have documented that feeling good about ourselves and maintaining positive self-esteem is a powerful motivator of human behavior (Tavris & Aronson, 2008). In the United States, members of the predominant culture typically think very highly of themselves and view themselves as good people who are above average on many desirable traits (Ehrlinger, Gilovich, & Ross, 2005). Often, our behavior, attitudes, and beliefs are affected when we experience a threat to our...
37.5K
01:14Avoidance Learning and Learned Helplessness
2.7K
Avoidance learning and learned helplessness are critical concepts in understanding behavioral responses to negative stimuli.
Avoidance learning occurs when an organism learns that a specific behavior can prevent an unpleasant outcome. For example, a student who receives a bad grade may start studying harder to avoid future poor grades. This behavior persists even when the negative outcome is no longer present. Avoidance learning is powerful because it maintains behavior in the absence of the...
Avoidance learning occurs when an organism learns that a specific behavior can prevent an unpleasant outcome. For example, a student who receives a bad grade may start studying harder to avoid future poor grades. This behavior persists even when the negative outcome is no longer present. Avoidance learning is powerful because it maintains behavior in the absence of the...
2.7K
01:17Drug Dependence
1.8K
Medications are typically administered to achieve therapeutic effects. Some drugs can modify an individual's mood and perception, frequently resulting in various enjoyable experiences. However, this can result in drug dependency, a condition marked by continuous drug use despite potential negative consequences. Drug dependency primarily falls into two categories: psychological and physical dependence. Psychological dependence occurs when the pleasurable feelings induced by the drug...
1.8K