Celebrity Identification and Reasoned Action: An Integrative Model of the Relationship Between Media Use and Breast Cancer Screening Intention

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study investigates the relationship between media use and breast cancer screening intentions by integrating the celebrity identification model and the theory of reasoned action. It tests an integrative model with survey data from 315 U.S. adult women. The study found that media use for breast cancer information was positively associated with parasocial interaction (PSI) and identification with celebrities who have or have had breast cancer; PSI was positively associated with attitudes, descriptive and injunctive norms in breast cancer screening, while identification with celebrities was positively associated with descriptive norms; attitudes, injunctive norms and descriptive norms were positively associated with breast cancer screening intentions. The study supports the mediating effect of PSI, identification, attitudes, and descriptive and injunctive norms on the association between media use and breast cancer prevention intentions.