Fear Arousal Research Articles

Fear Arousal Drives the Renewal of Active Avoidance of Hazards in Construction Sites: Evidence from an Animal Behavior Experiment in Mice

Fear Arousal Drives the Renewal of Active Avoidance of Hazards in Construction Sites: Evidence from an Animal Behavior Experiment in Mice

Komunikasi Persuasif Terkait Kesadaran Kesehatan Mental dalam Series “Daily Dose of Sunshine”: Analisis Semiotik Ferdinand De Saussure

Persuasive communication is a strategy employed to convince and influence others to accept a message without imposing pressure, while still allowing them the freedom to either accept or reject it.In 2023, a medical-themed series titled "Daily Dose of Sunshine" was released, addressing mental health issues. Such series play a vital role in raising awareness and understanding of these issues among the public. This research aims to examine the persuasive communication used by doctors and nurses towards patients regarding mental health awareness in "Daily Dose of Sunshine." The qualitative analysis employs Ferdinand de Saussure's semiotic method, focusing on signifiers and signifieds. Data comprise dialogue excerpts and images from the series. Results reveal persuasive communication techniques such as framing, integration, payoff, and fear arousing, predominantly conveyed through direct verbal communication. Supporting factors include the credibility and attractiveness of communicators. Feedback from persuadees indicates acceptance of persuasive messages, leading to increased openness and positive actions as advised by medical professionals.

Resistance to persuasion as a maladaptive coping response to anti Covid-19 message: a protection motivation theory perspective

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to shed light on the protection motivation theory’s (PMT) maladaptive coping response to anti-Covid-19 preventive persuasive appeals. PMT is based on coping appraisal that may lead to either an adaptive- or a maladaptive coping response. It has been suggested that the maladaptive coping response is not sufficiently investigated and can be represented by individuals’ resistance to anti-Covid-19 persuasive messages. It has been also supposed that resistance is predicted and modeled through a set of cognitive, affective and individual factors such as information processing style, fear arousal, gender and coping self-efficacy.Design/methodology/approachAn experiment and a survey were conducted online on a random sample of 290 individuals. The sample was divided into two groups, each of which was exposed to an anti-Covid-19 persuasive message.FindingsThe findings show that resistance to anti-Covid-19 persuasion is not directly predicted by the individual’s exposure to the message, but channeled through an affective and a cognitive process. It was also reported that resistance is predicted by both the reflective and the nonreflective information processing styles, which are in turn predicted by a high versus a low fear arousal. Fear arousal level was shown to be moderated by gender and coping self-efficacy.Originality/valueThis research brings additional insight to the PMT in so far that it highlights the maladaptive coping response through resistance to persuasion in a pandemic context.

The impact of extinction timing on pre-extinction arousal and subsequent return of fear.

Exposure-based therapy is effective in treating anxiety, but a return of fear in the form of relapse is common. Exposure is based on the extinction of Pavlovian fear conditioning. Both animal and human studies point to increased arousal during immediate compared to delayed extinction (>+24 h), which presumably impairs extinction learning and increases the subsequent return of fear. Impaired extinction learning under arousal might interfere with psychotherapeutic interventions. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether arousal before extinction differs between extinction groups and whether arousal before extinction predicts the return of fear in a later (retention) test. As a highlight, both the time between fear acquisition and extinction (immediate vs. delayed) and the time between extinction and test (early vs. late test) were systematically varied. We performed follow-up analyses on data from 103 young, healthy participants to test the above hypotheses. Subjective arousal ratings and physiological arousal measures of sympathetic and hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis activation (tonic skin conductance and salivary cortisol) were collected. Increased pre-extinction arousal in the immediate extinction group was only confirmed for subjective arousal. In linear regression analyses, none of the arousal measures predicted a significant return of fear in the different experimental groups. Only when we aggregated across the two test groups, tonic skin conductance at the onset of extinction predicted the return of fear in skin conductance responses. The overall results provide little evidence that pre-extinction arousal affects subsequent extinction learning and memory. In terms of clinical relevance, there is no clear evidence that exposure could be improved by reducing subjective or physiological arousal.

The Impacts of Animated Transport Safety Advertising Cross Two Cultures

ABSTRACT Transport safety campaigns are valuable for public health, as they prevent traffic fatalities and collisions. Authorities and nonprofit organizations attempt to promote transport safety by advertising via social media. Understanding the factors that make online transport safety campaigns successful is also important. However, studies exploring the impact of animated videos on transportation safety are scarce. We adopted the stimuli-organism-response (S-O-R) framework to examine the impact of music and graphics on transport users’ emotional states and behaviors. We also considered how the reactions varied across cultures. The respondents were shown animated transport safety advertisements produced by Metro Trains in Melbourne, Australia. A total of 217 valid questionnaires were collected from transportation users in Taiwan and Vietnam. In contrast, we explored the spillover effects of an animated transport safety promotion campaign across cultures. The findings show that music significantly impacts people’s emotions, which, in turn, are associated with positive behavioral intentions. Self-efficacy had the greatest effect on behavioral responses. We also found that transport users in Taiwan were more influenced by graphics, whereas those in Vietnam were more affected by music in the S-O path. Fear arousal affects the behavioral intentions of Vietnamese transportation users in the O-R path. Self-efficacy is the dominant factor affecting the ability of Taiwan’s transport users to obey traffic rules. Transport safety advertising should be designed to evoke emotions, and specific stimulus elements should be adjusted according to cultural preferences.

Unmasking the pivotal role of ad–target ethnic congruence in driving consumers' response to fear appeals

AbstractFear appeals are persuasive messages that scare consumers into compliance with the appeals' recommendation by highlighting a personally relevant threat. Several factors, including personality traits and message features, can influence the effectiveness of fear appeals. This article proposes an additional element that contributes to the persuasiveness of fear appeals: ethnic congruence between the fear appeal and the target audience. Specifically, this research examines the interplay of high fear arousal appeals and ad–target congruence on message persuasiveness. We operationalize congruence by ethnicity match (vs. mismatch). A series of three experiments and a follow‐up study reveal that while high fear arousal appeals are more persuasive than low‐arousal appeals in general, their effectiveness is accentuated when the target audience feels congruent with the elements of the appeal. We argue that when encountering fear appeals, consumers' perceived ethnic congruence with the elements of the advertisement (e.g., ad character–target ethnic similarity) affects whether they identify with the ad and thus influences their perceived vulnerability to the publicized threat. This, in turn, influences the level of the induced emotion (i.e., fear), which subsequently drives persuasiveness. We document this effect using both self‐reported and behavioral measures. We also rule out an alternative account based on appraisal‐tendency theory, which predicts that the uncertainty dimension characterizing the emotions—for example, fear (anger) is associated with high (low) uncertainty—explains the results. The findings highlight the importance of representing diverse characters in marketing and public policy campaigns relying on fear appeals.

Persuasive communication model of the “Satuan Gugus Tugas” Pandemic (A case study of the “SATGAS COVID-19” in Yogyakarta)

The Yogyakarta government established the COVID-19 Task Force, involving various organizations, to effectively communicate with the public during the pandemic. Employing a persuasive communication model, the task force integrates the heart communication theory and utilizes techniques such as association, participation, and fear arousal. The study aims to identify this persuasive communication model's effectiveness for pandemic control. Utilizing a qualitative approach and case study methodology on the Yogyakarta COVID-19 Task Force, data collection involved interviews, observations, and documentation. The results reveal a hub-patterned organizational communication model, centered around the head of the COVID-19 Task Force, facilitating coordination. Techniques like association, participation, and fear arousal are applied to persuade the public to adhere to health protocols. Additionally, the task force incorporates the heart communication theory among field teams to manage emotions, fostering sympathy and empathy for disaster-affected populations. This approach ensures cautious communication to prevent conflicts within the community, contributing valuable insights for future disaster management strategies. This article contributes a tailored persuasive communication model for the COVID-19 Task Force, offering practical insights into effective strategies, emotional intelligence integration, and organizational communication. The focus on Yogyakarta's local context enhances the relevance of the findings, serving as a valuable resource for policymakers and disaster management teams in shaping future communication strategies.

Covid-19 and Revisit Intention: Evaluation of Destination Social Responsibility, Visitor Satisfaction, Perceived Value, and Fear Arousal

Purpose –This study is an attempt to understand the changes in consumer behavior in the tourism industry related to the pandemic affecting society. This study aimed to evaluate the direct and indirect effects of destination social responsibility (DSR) on the revisit intention of visitors who once visited Turkey before the Covid-19 pandemic breakthrough. Moreover, this research aimed to investigate fear arousal as a moderating effect between tourists' intention of repeat visits and its associated antecedents due to COVID-19.Design/methodology/approach –The research model was examined empirically by targeting 388 tourists from 10 different countries. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the gathered data.Findings –The outcomes of the study demonstrated that DSR is positively and remarkably affected by TS and PV. Also, the results showed that PV has a mediating impact on revisit intention. On the other hand, findings showed that TS has not a remarkable and positive effect on revisit intention. Moreover, the results revealed that FA has a moderation effect on the relationship between DSR-RI, TS-RI, and PV-RI.Discussion –A finding that emerged at the end of this study and contradicted previous studies was obtained. It is a generally accepted phenomenon in the literature that tourist satisfaction has a positive and significant effect on revisit intention. Results show that fear of COVID-19 affects perceived value, tourist satisfaction, and revisit intention differently. Tourist satisfaction and perceived value are undoubtedly two important mediating variables. This contributes to the tourism literature on tourist behaviors.

Mismedication as COVID-19 pandemic response of rural folks: Implications for national COVID-19 response policy of Lesotho.

COVID-19's super-spread nature, its adverse impacts, and the associated public fear and panic have resulted in the use of "dangerous" substances and medicinal herbs (mismedication), particularly in rural parts of Africa. Exploring the phenomenon of mismedication is crucial for promoting effective public health policies. This study adopted a qualitative study design and purposively selected and interviewed 50 rural folks cutting across the 10 districts of Lesotho in Southern Africa. The study's findings show that rural folks perceive a high vulnerability to the COVID-19 virus. They also consider COVID-19 a dangerous virus and have high fear arousal of contracting the virus. It was realized that rural folks resort to unreliable sources of information on COVID-19 pandemic, such as friends and family members, social media, village members, and grandchildren. These untrustworthy sources spread a lot of misinformation about COVID-19, causing fear and panic among rural residents. To remedy the spread of the pandemic, its impact, and the underlying public fear and panic, rural dwellers have resorted to the use of unapproved medicinal plants. Trust in unapproved medicinal plants influences rural dwellers' compliance to the standard protocols implemented to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic. The study recommends the urgent need to intensify scientific investigation into the various medicinal plants for their efficacy, side effects, preparation, and approved dosage. Again, effective public education on the efficacy and dangers associated with the use of unapproved medications must be strengthened, particularly in rural communities through the active participation of opinion, traditional, and religious leaders.

Persuasive Narratives About Osteoporosis: Effects of Protagonist Competence, Narrator Point of View, and Subjective Risk.

Narratives have been widely acknowledged as a powerful persuasion tool in health promotion and education. Recently, great efforts have been devoted to identifying message components and causal pathways that maximize a narrative's persuasion power. Specifically, we investigated how narrator point of view and readers' subjective relative risk moderate the effects of protagonist competence on intentions to adopt osteoporosis-prevention behaviors, and proposed identification with the protagonist, self-referencing, and fear arousal as three mediators explaining the effect. Women aged 35 to 55, still young enough to reduce osteoporosis risk, read a narrative in which the 60-year-old female character reflects on either taking actions to prevent osteoporosis (competent protagonist) or failing to do so, resulting in osteoporosis (incompetent protagonist) (N = 563). The narratives were told from either the first- or third-person point of view. We found that women who perceived themselves to be at lower risk for developing osteoporosis relative to their peers identified more with the competent protagonist. For women at higher perceived risk, the competent and incompetent protagonists elicited similar levels of identification. Identification was higher when the protagonist's story was told from the first-person perspective, but only for the incompetent protagonist narrative. Identification, self-referencing, and fear arousal played important mediating roles. Implications for theory development and practice are examined.

Threats and the conservative shift in public opinion: comparative causal mediation analyses from Turkey

ABSTRACT How do mortality reminders and aroused mortality fear affect people’s conservatism? Threats-politics studies assume that life-threatening dangers, fear of death, and conservatism go together, overlooking the distinction between threat exposure and mortality fear arousal. Further, these studies commonly fixate on the conventional threat of terrorism and predominantly employ samples from Western countries. Complementing past research, I use three survey experiments in Turkey to investigate the relationship between a broad array of threats (terrorism, health risks, moral hazards, and daily thoughts of death’s inevitability), mortality fear induced by the threats, and self-rated conservative orientation in a causal mediation analysis framework, using the terror management theory and non-representative Facebook samples (2018, 2020). The results reveal that the respondents receiving threatening stimuli (particularly terrorism mortality reminder) become less conservative as the mortality fear elevates. The length of mortality priming and the broader study context influence this indirect effect’s significance and replicability.

What drives the vaccination intention against COVID-19? Application of EPPM, TAM, and theories of risk assessment

ABSTRACT Vaccines are widely used to fight against COVID-19. However, COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy appears as some individuals are concerned with COVID-19 vaccines. This study investigates the vaccination intention against COVID-19 in China with the Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM), Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), and theories of risk information assessment. Results showed that the formation mechanism of vaccination intention could be considered a psychological process, as subjective knowledge was a primary influence on correspondents’ weighting of both the potentially positive (usefulness) and negative effects (threat) of vaccination. This unequal consideration then resulted in different levels of fear arousal between subjects. Driven by usefulness/threat perception and fear, people conducted different decision strategies, so-called analytical assessment, and experiential assessment to make vaccination decision. In addition to the direct effects of experiential assessment on vaccination intention, two decision strategies and fear arousal also affected people’s vaccination intention through the mediation role of vaccination attitude. For policymakers and stakeholders, this study provides a knowledge base for confidence-building, and emotional guidance concerning against COVID-19 vaccination.

Fear, psychophysiological arousal, and cognitions during a virtual social skills training in social anxiety disorder while manipulating gaze duration

The use of virtual reality (VR) is an option for social skills training and exposure in Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD). In addition, virtual social situations are an ideal tool to study the influence of a counterpart’s social behavior, e. g. eye contact. We developed two scenarios in VR that enable users to practice to assert their rights. The participants’ tasks were to ask a passenger to release their reserved seat in a virtual train and to cancel a trip in a virtual travel agency. In a randomized, crossover design, we compared the effect of a large (during 80% of the conversation time) and a small (20%) amount of direct gaze by the virtual conversational partners in 41 patients with SAD and 21 healthy controls (HCs). We expected fear and psychophysiological arousal to be higher in patients than in HCs and higher in the 80% eye contact condition. The scenarios provoked an increase of fear and psychophysiological arousal over baseline in patients and in HCs. Gaze duration of the virtual agent had no influence on fear and psychophysiological arousal, but affected the experience of presence. Our results suggest a suitability of our scenarios for social skills training and exposure therapy in SAD. The lack of influence of gaze duration on parameters of fear might be explained by the fact that participants did not consciously detect the differences in gaze duration. However, the impact on some parameters (e. g. presence) suggests that participants noticed differences in gaze duration on a subliminal level.

Enhanced Mental Reinstatement of Exposure to Improve Extinction Generalization: A Study on Claustrophobia and MRI Fear

Fear of enclosed spaces prevents many people from receiving magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. Although exposure therapy can effectively treat such fears, reductions in fear during exposure often do not generalize beyond the context in which they took place. This study tested a strategy designed to increase generalization, which involved revisiting the memory of a prior exposure to enhance retrieval of extinction learning. Forty-five participants with claustrophobia that included fear of MRI scans underwent a series of exposures lying inside a narrow cabinet. One week later, participants were randomly assigned to enhanced mental reinstatement (EMR) or control procedures. Prior to entering a mock MRI scanner, EMR participants recalled the memory of exposure training and listened to an audio recording of themselves describing what they learned, whereas control participants recalled a neutral memory. Compared to the control condition, EMR led to significantly reduced heart rate reactivity in the mock MRI scanner, but not self-reported fear or avoidance. There were no differences between conditions in claustrophobia symptoms or MRI fear at 1-month follow-up. Results suggest some benefits of mental reinstatement for improving generalization of gains following exposure training for claustrophobia, with measures of subjective fear and physiological arousal showing discordant outcomes.

Revisit intentions: Novel social responsibility of mall for strengthening mall reputation and perceived trust during fear-arousal of Covid-19 pandemic in India

The study aims to access the philanthropic influence of malls in creating trust among the shoppers to revisit them during the Covid-19 Unlock Period. Smart PLS-SEM was used to evaluate the responses of 607 customers who voluntarily participated in the survey carried out in Delhi – NCR, India. The study encompasses the hypotheses that the social responsibility of mall generates mall reputation, which in turn strengthen perceived trust, and ultimately the revisit intention. The results established the social responsibility of the mall as a key factor in building mall reputation and fostering trust among the shoppers, ensuring their revisits. The findings also supported shoppers’ revisit intention under the varying influence of fear-arousal. The moderating effect of fear arousal on the relationships of mall reputation – revisit intention, and perceived trust – revisit intention in the organized retail industry has been adjudged as a novelty of the present study. The study recommends its application in framing strategies to strengthen the social commitments by retailers and malls, and also to ameliorate fear-arousal among shoppers during such pandemics. The study proposes avenues for further research in context to the social responsibilities of hospitality-related set-ups during a pandemic with varied variables.

Motivating Protective Behavior against COVID-19: Fear Versus Hope.

ObjectivesBased on protection motivation theory, we investigate how indicators of threat perception (perceived severity, perceived vulnerability, and fear arousal) and coping appraisal (hope) are associated with older people’s motivation to engage in protective behavior after the outbreak of COVID-19.MethodsWe use multivariate regression analyses with a sample of 40,282 individuals from 26 countries participating in the SHARE Corona Survey.ResultsWe find that 15% of all respondents stayed home completely—mainly the oldest and vulnerable people with prior health risk conditions. On average, older Europeans responded strongly to the recommended protective behavior measures (6 out of 7 measures adopted). Among the threat perception indicators, fear arousal is the main motivator for protective behavior, whereas the coping appraisal indicator hope shows an equally strong association.DiscussionGiven the negative health effects of fear, our findings may help evaluate and revise governmental policy responses and communication strategies.

Predictors of protective behaviours during the Italian Covid-19 pandemic: an application of protection motivation theory

Objective The study investigated whether Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) constructs predicted recommended protective behaviours soon after the Italian lockdown and 1-year later. Design A three-wave longitudinal design was used. Three-hundred-fifty-two adults completed online questionnaires with PMT and intention measures assessed during the Italian lockdown (T1), and behaviour measures assessed after 1-month (T2) and 1-year (T3). Outcome measures Intentions to adopt behaviours (T1) and behaviour adherence at T2 and T3. Results From T2 to T3, participants reported less adoption of distance behaviours, but higher face masks use. In SEM models, self-efficacy and perceived severity were the strongest predictors of intentions to engage in protective behaviours. Intentions (β = 0.490, p < 0.001) and fear arousal (β = 0.134 p = 0.035) predicted protective behaviours at T2. Intentions (β = 0.302, p = 0.001) and perceived severity (β = 0.431, p < 0.001) predicted protective behaviours at T3. Conclusion To increase intentions, intervention should highlight the severity of getting infected and target perceptions of one’s ability to perform the protective behaviours. In addition, interventions should consider that at the beginning of the pandemic, fear predicted the adoption of preventive behaviours while perceived severity of the disease had a greater impact over time.

Screening Intention Prediction of Colorectal Cancer among Urban Chinese Based on the Protection Motivation Theory

Colorectal cancer poses a serious threat worldwide. Although early screening has been proved to be the most effective way to prevent and control colorectal cancer, the current situation of colorectal cancer screening remains not optimistic. The aim of this article is to apply the protection motivation theory (PMT) to examine the influencing factors on screening intention of colorectal cancer (CRC). This cross-sectional survey was launched in five communities in Wuhan, China. All the eligible urban Chinese were recruited and interviewed using paper-and-pencil questionnaires. The intention of colorectal cancer screening (CRCS) was measured using six PMT subconstructs, including perceived risk, perceived severity, fear arousal, response efficacy, response cost, and self-efficacy. Data on sociodemographic variables and knowledge of CRC were also collected. The structural equation modeling (SEM) method was used for data analysis. Among all the 569 respondents, 83.66% expressed willingness to participate in CRCS. Data of the research fit the proposed SEM model well (Chi-square/df = 2.04, GFI = 0.93, AGFI = 0.91, CFI = 0.91, IFI = 0.91, RMSEA = 0.04). Two subconstructs of PMT (response efficacy and self-efficacy) and CRC knowledge were directly and positively associated with screening intention. Age, social status, medical history, physical activity, and CRC knowledge were indirectly related to the screening intention through at least one of the two PMT subconstructs (response efficacy and self-efficacy). The findings of this study suggest the significance of enhancing response efficacy and self-efficacy in motivating urban Chinese adults to participate in CRC screening. Knowledge of CRC is significantly associated with screening intention. This study can provide useful information for the formulation and improvement of colorectal cancer screening strategies and plans.

Fear appeal, coping appeal and mobile health technology persuasion: a two-stage scenario-based survey of the elderly

PurposePrior researches on the adoption of mobile health services (MHS) concentrate on the subjective cognitive appraisals resulting in technology adoption, while ignoring how to shape those cognitive appraisals by the objective message design strategies which are easier to operate in practice. Based on protection motivation theory (PMT), the current research aims to explore the antecedents of cognitive appraisals by focusing on message design strategies of fear appeal and coping appeal.Design/methodology/approachA two-stage scenario-based survey of 204 participants was conducted to collect data. The authors chose SPSS and covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) approach with the software LISREL 8.8 to test our model.FindingsThe results show that the relationship between fear appeal and fear arousal is inverted U-shaped such that the degree of fear arousal is the greatest when the fear appeal is at a moderate level. Perceived usefulness for the message with negative framing is higher than that with positive framing. Furthermore, fear appeal and coping appeal have a significant interaction on the adoption of MHS at different stages.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample data of this study come from a special health service of a special group in China, which limits the universality of our research results for other groups or health care services. Therefore, future researchers can validate the model in other research scenarios and sample populations.Originality/valueThis study shows how fear appeal and coping appeal work together to influence individuals' adoption intention. The authors’ findings expand the theoretical depth of PMT and fear theory, enriching the theoretical connotation of framing effect in mobile health technology adoption context, which add new insights to design more persuasive messages through fear appeal and coping appeal for researchers and MHS providers in mobile health communication or propaganda.

Teknik Komunikasi Persuasif Ahmad Rifa’i Rif’an Dalam Dakwah Kepada Kalangan Milenial

The millennial generation is one of the priority mad'u groups to be preached. Through proper preaching, a generation that upholds religious values ​​and morality will be formed so that they are ready to work on the rare momentum of the demographic bonus. Ahmad Rifa'I Rif'an is one of the Da'Is who have successfully preached among Millennials. Through a book entitled "When God Is No Longer Needed", Rifa'I successfully stirred the reader's feelings until they were persuaded to carry out his invitations in the book. In addition to having entered its sixth edition in three years, this book has also received praise from many great writers and millennial circles who claim to be most satisfied after reading the book. Persuasive communication techniques are one of the factors of success in preaching to millennials. He tries to change the thoughts, feelings, and attitudes of the readers in a subtle, joint dialectic and without patronizing. Using qualitative research, with primary data sources, namely a book entitled "When God Is No Longer Needed", this paper aims to determine Ahmad Rifa'I Rif'an persuasive communication techniques and the suitability of these techniques with the characteristics of the millennial generation. The results showed that the persuasive communication techniques used by Rifa'I were association, integration, pay-off, fear arousing, structuring, authority, narrative and combination techniques. Which all of these techniques are relevant to millennial characteristics.