Abstract
We investigated the idea that emotive imagery used in health promotion advertising can facilitate a defensive response that adversely affects risk perceptions. One hundred student drinkers were exposed to either a printed message accompanied by images designed to maximise emotional distress or the same message presented using less emotive images. A three-way interaction was found, whereby the presentation of distressing images caused lower personal risk estimates in participants higher in denial and vulnerability to alcohol-related problems. This effect may have been mediated by lower reading times, suggesting that participants avoided the messages. Moderation by denial suggests that the effect is attributable to defensiveness, whilst moderation by vulnerability suggests that it is threat specific. These findings suggest that emotive images might trigger defensive avoidance responses that reduce risk estimates in some audience sub-populations.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
