Examining an Effective Communication Message to Promote Participation in Sports Activity: Applying the Extended Parallel Process Model

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe present study examined how a message based on the extended parallel process model can affect individuals’ attitudes and intention to participate in sports activity. A two by two between-subject experiment was conducted among 152 participants who were randomly assigned to one of the four different messages. Individuals’ threat perception was found to increase attitudes and intentions toward sports activity when they also had a high level of efficacy perception to participate in sports activity, supporting the hypothesis. Furthermore, for those with a high level of efficacy, the protective motivation mediated a positive relationship between perceived threat and attitudes, whereas for those with a low level of efficacy, the defensive motivation mediated the negative relationship between perceived threat and attitudes. Neither of the proposed mediators predicted the relationship between perceived threat and intentions. The present study suggests that a theory-based message can help increase campaign effects to promote sports.