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Do you believe in magic? The impact of "Magic" Johnson on adolescents' AIDS knowledge and attitudes
C K Sigelman1, A B Miller, E B Derenowski
1Department of Psychology, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052.
Abstract:
A group of young people ages 10 to 18, interviewed after basketball star Earvin "Magic" Johnson announced that he had tested positive for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), were asked for their reactions to the news. Their knowledge of and attitudes regarding AIDS were also compared to those of similar young people interviewed before the announcement. Reactions to the announcement were varied and were accompanied by only isolated changes in knowledge and attitudes, suggesting that news of this celebrity's HIV infection served primarily to reinforce or make temporarily more salient knowledge and attitudes that predated the announcement.