Chapter 16 - Fear as motivator, fear as inhibitor: Using the extended parallel process model to explain fear appeal successes and failures

Abstract

This chapter discusses the nature of fear; reviews the historical origins of fear appeals; and describes the extended parallel process model (EPPM). Fear is one of the basic human emotions. The elicitation of fear may occur following the appraisal of a threatening situation or stimulus with or without an individual's conscious intention or awareness. Fear may be expressed physiologically (as arousal), through language behavior (verbal self-reports), or through overt acts (facial expressions). According to the EPPM, fear-arousing messages may initiate two appraisals—(1) appraisal of the threat and (2) appraisal of the efficacy of the recommended response. These appraisals, in turn, produce one of three responses to the message: no response, acceptance, or rejection. Specifically, individuals first appraise the severity of the threat and their susceptibility to the threat in an additive manner when exposed to a fear appeal. Individual differences, such as worldviews, trait variables, or prior experiences do not directly influence outcomes, according to the EPPM. Instead, individual differences are posited to influence perceptions of threat and efficacy only, which then influence outcomes.