Appeals: Social

Abstract

Abstract Social appeals are a form of messages that aim to promote public health by referring to the social consequences of health behavior. That means they refer to: (i) the appreciation of individuals' health by others; (ii) the influence of health behavior on affiliation to others; or (iii) the responsibility for others' health. This entry provides an overview of definitions, various forms, theories, and existing research studies. It ends with implications for researchers and health practitioners. Social appeals can be employed by various other persuasion strategies or be combined with them. They offer multiple opportunities to reach target groups who are hard to reach with other forms of appeals. Although systematic research about social appeals is scarce, one can conclude for researchers and health advertising practitioners that social appeals can be effective for target groups. However, an analysis of the underlying motives for the specific health behavior is needed. If social motives (such as social norms, affiliation needs, or caring motives) are a main determinant for a specific behavior and/or a certain target group, then the respective social appeals might be an effective persuasion strategy to promote public health.