Psychological Reactance Theory Research Articles

Examining Audiences' Psychological Reactance to Christian-Sourced Excessive Alcohol Consumption Messages in the United States.

This study experimentally investigated the effect of dogmatic and suggestive language in Christian-sourced excessive alcohol consumption messages among college-aged participants who identify as Christians or non-Christians, as well as the role of perceived similarity with the message source, on their self-reported freedom-threat, psychological reactance, and behavioral intentions to consume alcohol. The results from this study support psychological reactance theory and demonstrate the various message strategies to effectively communicate the negative health effects of excessive alcohol consumption to individuals who identify either as Christians or non-Christians.

Examining Audiences' Psychological Reactance to Christian-Sourced Excessive Alcohol Consumption Messages in the United States.

This study experimentally investigated the effect of dogmatic and suggestive language in Christian-sourced excessive alcohol consumption messages among college-aged participants who identify as Christians or non-Christians, as well as the role of perceived similarity with the message source, on their self-reported freedom-threat, psychological reactance, and behavioral intentions to consume alcohol. The results from this study support psychological reactance theory and demonstrate the various message strategies to effectively communicate the negative health effects of excessive alcohol consumption to individuals who identify either as Christians or non-Christians.

How Organizational Electronic Performance Monitoring Affects Employee Proactive Behaviors: The Psychological Reactance Perspective

Nowadays, numerous enterprises are actively adopting electronic performance monitoring (EPM) systems with the goal of enhancing organizational performance by stimulating employee proactive behavior. However, some companies have reported that the EPM system didn't achieve the expected results and even led to the opposite. To address this paradoxical phenomenon, we employed psychological reactance theory to investigate the impacts of employee differentiate perceptions of EPM (developmental EPM [DEPM] and preventive EPM [PEPM]) on individual psychological and behavior reactance. By conducting a three-wave survey questionnaire among 446 corporate employees, we find that DEPM facilitates proactive behavior, while PEPM inhibits such behaviors; Second, psychological reactance mediates the relationships among DEPM, PEPM, and proactive behavior; Third, individual trait mindfulness positively (negatively) moderates the impact of DEPM (PEPM) on psychological reactance. This research elucidates the effects of EPM on proactive behavior, providing valuable information to support attempts to refine digitally driven monitoring models within organizations.

How do mobile app users react to embedded advertising? A perspective from psychological reactance theory

ABSTRACT This study investigated the effects of in-app advertisements (in-app ads) on user responses based on psychological reactance theory. Three types of in-app ads were categorised: banners, pop-up graphics and pop-up video clips. The study also examined the moderating effect of prior negative experiences on the relationship between in-app ad appearance and advertising clutter and in-app ad appearance and advertising scepticism. A total of 1,343 valid questionnaires were collected for each type of in-app ad. Structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis revealed that the duration and frequency of different ads had distinct effects on users' negative psychological reactance, leading to behaviours of ignoring and resisting the ads. Moreover, advertising clutter not only positively influenced advertising scepticism but also increased advertising avoidance, subsequently impacting both the tendency to ignore and resist the advertised content. Prior negative experiences played a moderating role in the banner and pop-up graphic ad models. In conclusion, this study recommends that app developers avoid overwhelming sensory stimulation when displaying ads to reduce the complexity of visual perception. Improving content innovation can help minimise users perceiving the ads as obtrusive. Furthermore, emphasising the relevance of advertisements by integrating them effectively with app functions can increase user ad acceptance.

Reactance to Persuasive Messages Depends on Felt Obligation

Psychological reactance theory suggests that the higher the threat-level of persuasive messages, the higher the reactance. Previous research has revealed ways to manipulate messages to either arouse or reduce psychological reactance. By contrast, the current work compares people’s reactance across different target actions while keeping the threat-level of the message consistent. We propose that reactance to a message depends on the target action’s pre-existing felt obligation. We demonstrate that low-obligation actions are more sensitive than high-obligation actions to the threat-level of a persuasive message. The current work provides one explanation for inconsistencies in the literature regarding message effects. This work also suggests that pre-existing obligation of a target action should be accounted for in order to successfully implement a message intervention.

Chinese Negative Reactions to Positive Gender Stereotypes: A Perspective of Psychological Reactance Theory

Individuals’ lives depend heavily on their freedom, which is why they may respond with reactance if freedom is threatened. Our research, which spans four studies with 1,486 Chinese students as participants, from the perspective of psychological reactance theory, provides evidence that positive gender stereotypes can provoke targets’ negative reactions. In Study 1, participants who heard a speaker state a positive gender stereotype (e.g., “women are beautiful” and “men are strong”) disliked the speaker more, believed that the speaker was more gender prejudiced, and experienced stronger negative emotions than those who heard no stereotype. In Studies 2−4, freedom threat was a crucial mediator in the relation between the positive gender stereotype and targets’ negative reactions. Furthermore, depersonalization also played a parallel mediating role. Although positive gender stereotypes seem superficially complimentary, they may have detrimental effects on interpersonal relations. Our research suggests that people should refrain from using stereotypes in their interpersonal interactions whenever possible. Even though people may sometimes inevitably convey positive stereotypes to others, they should be given the freedom to minimize the negative consequences of such stereotypes. Additional online materials for this article are available on PWQ's website at http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/suppl/DOI: 10.1177/03616843241242711

The Effects of Language Features and Accents on the Arousal of Psychological Reactance and Communication Outcomes

Guided by psychological reactance theory, we examined the effects of language features on arousing reactance and communication outcomes. Results of a 2 (controllingness; high/low) × 2 (concreteness; concrete/abstract) × 2 (restoration postscript; present/absent) × 3 (accent; Standard American English [SAE]/Indian [non-SAE]/text-based message) between-subjects design ( N = 1,099, studies 1 and 2), revealed high-controlling language increased freedom threat, was perceived as more explicit than low-controlling language. Concrete language was perceived as more demanding of attention, fair, and producing lesser freedom threat than abstract language. Furthermore, restoration postscripts reduced freedom threat and message explicitness, including differences in restoration postscripts for the non-SAE relative to the SAE accent. Compared to the non-SAE accent, the SAE accent was perceived as more fluent and less difficult to understand, yet elicited more anger, more negative cognitions, and was perceived as less competent (Study 2). The implications are discussed vis-à-vis social influence and intergroup communication.

Psychological reactance, misinformation, and distrust: A mixed methods analysis of COVID-19 vaccine uptake.

Assessing perceptions of the COVID-19 vaccines is essential for understanding vaccine hesitancy and for improving uptake during public health emergencies. In the complicated landscape of COVID-19 vaccine mandates and rampant misinformation, many individuals faced challenges during vaccination decision-making. The purpose of our mixed methods study is to elucidate factors affecting vaccine decision-making and to highlight the discourse surrounding the COVID-19 vaccines in diverse and underserved communities. This mixed methods study was conducted in Arizona, Florida, Minnesota, and Wisconsin between March and November 2021, combining a cross-sectional survey (n = 3593) and focus groups (n = 47). The groups least likely to report receiving a vaccination were non-Hispanic Whites, Indigenous people, males, and those with moderate socioeconomic status (SES). Those indicating high and low SES reported similar vaccination uptake. Focus group data highlighted resistance to mandates, distrust, misinformation, and concerns about the rapid development surrounding the COVID-19 vaccines. Psychological reactance theory posits that strongly persuasive messaging and social pressure can be perceived as a threat to freedom, encouraging an individual to take action to restore that freedom. Our findings indicate that a subsection of participants felt pressured to get the vaccine, which led to weaker intentions to vaccinate. These results suggest that vaccine rollout strategies should be reevaluated to improve and facilitate informed decision-making.

Goal-gradient point rewards can increase consumers' willingness to purchase poverty-alleviating products

One of the ways to solve the world's poverty problem is by effectively marketing poverty-alleviating products. Some studies show that point rewards can increase consumer willingness to purchase products. In this paper, three types of rewards are designed: tournament point rewards, piece-rate point rewards, and goal-gradient point rewards. Based on the goal-gradient effect, warm glow effect, the psychological reactance theory, and the literature, hypotheses are proposed based on the results of mathematical modeling. Experiments 1 and 2 show that the goal-gradient point rewards and piece-rate point rewards methods can motivate consumers to purchase poverty-alleviating products. Experiments 3 and 4 results indicate that the combination of goal-gradient point rewards for small cash and goal-gradient point rewards for honorary certificates is the best incentive. We therefore suggest that poverty-alleviating product companies use goal-gradient point rewards for small cash and gradient point rewards for honorary certificates to motivate consumer prosocial behavior.

Reactance, Mortality Salience, and Skin-Cancer Prevention Among Young Adults

ABSTRACT In an experiment (N = 206) using skin cancer prevention messages and a 2 (mortality: salient, control) × 2 (freedom-limiting language: freedom-limiting, autonomy-supportive) independent-group design, we tested the terror management health model and integrated its predictions with the theory of psychological reactance. We used a sample of young adults because they are most at risk for excessive tanning. Consistent with the study predictions about proximal defenses, mortality salience significantly increased intentions to wear sunscreen all year around, relative to the control condition. A significant interaction between freedom-limiting language and mortality salience on behavioral intention to purchase high-SPF lotion revealed that, when a freedom-limiting message was paired with mortality salience, intentions to purchase high-SPF lotion were significantly greater as compared to autonomy-supportive language, indicating that mortality salience mitigated the maladaptive effects of reactance. These results add to a growing body of research identifying boundary conditions for reactance effects and, further, point to the utility of directive (albeit freedom-limiting language) in health-prevention messages attempting to communicate deadly health risks.

Combining SEM, fsQCA and BNs to Explore E-Bike Riders’ Helmet Wearing Intentions under the Impact of Mandatory Policies: An Empirical Study in Zhenjiang

China has become the largest country for e-bikes in the past decade, leading to a surge in road-related accidents. Chinese provinces and cities have successfully formulated local regulations, which set fines for not wearing helmets levying on e-bike riders. Without considering psychological resistance which is universal under the premise of compulsory legislation, the legislation and enforcement activities cannot continuously promote electric bikers’ helmet use. This study aims to investigate the predictors that influence e-bike riders’ intention to wear helmets by designing a research methodology that incorporates the theory of planned behavior (TPB), the protection motivation theory (PMT), and the psychological reactance theory (PRT). A multi-method analytical approach, including structural equation modeling (SEM), fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA), and a Bayesian Network (BN) with a sample dataset of 846 respondents. SEM and fsQCA explored the intentions to wear helmets from linear and nonlinear perspectives. BN verifies the degree of influence between different configurations resulting from fsQCA, to predict which mental configurations could get the most significant impact on helmet use. A total of 11 configurations lead to high helmet-wearing intention, and 4 lead to low helmet-wearing intention. Policymakers could design safety policies on our research, such as driving licenses and special lectures for e-bike riders.

From free pastures to penned in: The within-person effects of psychological reactance on side-hustlers' hostility and initiative in full-time work.

Multiple jobholding is increasingly common, particularly among full-time employees who have adopted side-hustles-income-generating work from the gig economy that is performed alongside full-time work. A distinguishing feature of side-hustles is substantial autonomy in the work's timing, location, and method. This autonomy has typically been portrayed as beneficial. We shift this consensus by developing a within-person model that suggests elevated side-hustle autonomy-relative to what is typical for that person-sets the employee on a course to feel "boxed in" by their full-time job. Drawing on psychological reactance theory, we argue that elevated autonomy in a side-hustle sensitizes employees to threats that restrict their control. As these employees shift to full-time work, we theorize that this sensitivity is associated with feelings of hostility that contribute to counterproductive behavior. We also propose, however, that side-hustle autonomy has benefits for full-time work-motivating employees to reassert control through increased initiative, thereby enhancing task performance. We explore the countervailing relationships between side-hustle autonomy and full-time work outcomes with a daily experience sampling study (ESM) of 101 full-time employees with side-hustles and their coworkers (Study 1) and a weekly ESM study of 100 full-time employees with side-hustles (Study 2). Taken together, we build and test theory about how employees' side-hustle autonomy exhibits within-person relationships that are a "mixed-bag" for their full-time work behavior. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

A Holistic Introduction of Goal Framing

Framing and life are strongly intertwined, in the framing effect, various ways of expressing messages have different outcomes. Goal framing, a more complex variant of framing effects, will be investigated in the study. Additionally, three distinct categories of goal framinghedonic, gain, and normative goal framingwill be introduced in the essay. Currently, Psychological Reactance Theory and Prospect Theory, Dual-process theory, and the Regulatory Focus Theory are most frequently used by researchers to explain the psychological mechanism underlying the goal framing effect. Moreover, the article also includes additional information about goal framing and its applicability to environmental and medical testing. The goal framing effect, however, has several restrictions like influencing by the authority of the information source emotion and so forth. The experimenter can investigate additional controlling factors, like environment and personality, to increase the effectiveness of goal framing and then attempt to lessen or even eliminate the impact of these external factors.

The persuasive effect of humorous prompts on tourists’ heritage responsible behaviors

PropósitoEsta investigación pretende aclarar cómo afecta el humor al efecto persuasivo de la señalización sobre el comportamiento responsable de los turistas respecto al patrimonio.Diseño/metodología/enfoqueSe realizaron tres experimentos basados en escenarios a través de Credamo (una plataforma de encuestas en línea). En los estudios 1 y 2 se utilizó un diseño entre sujetos de un solo factor (estilo de lenguaje: humorístico frente a serio) para comprobar los efectos directos e indirectos de los señalización humorísticos. El estudio 3 utilizó un diseño entre sujetos de 2 (calidad del entorno: alta frente a baja) × 2 (estilo lingüístico: humorístico frente a serio) para revelar con más detalle la condición límite (calidad del entorno) del efecto del humor.ConclusionesLos resultados revelaron que las señalización humorísticas (frente a las serias) persuaden mejor a los turistas a participar en las HRB. El gusto por el contenido influye en la relación entre los señalización humorísticos y las HRB. Además, la calidad del entorno modera de forma significativa el efecto de los señalización humorísticos sobre los THRB, de modo que el efecto persuasivo de los señalización humorísticos es mayor en condiciones de alta calidad del entorno que en condiciones de baja calidad del entorno.Implicaciones prácticasLas organizaciones de gestión de destinos pueden utilizar el humor para reducir la reacción de los turistas ante las señalización a la persuasión conductual. Además, también es importante adaptar oportunamente las señalización humorísticas a los cambios en la calidad del entorno.Originalidad/valorBasándonos en la teoría de la reactancia psicológica, nuestra investigación confirmó el efecto dominante de las señalización humorísticas empleando el gusto por el contenido como variable mediadora, proporcionando una nueva perspectiva para la investigación sobre la regulación de las THRB. Además, aclaramos una condición límite para la persuasión de los señalización humorísticos, lo que ayuda a reforzar la comprensión de la persuasión humorística.

The resistance toward COVID-19 contact tracing apps: A study of psychological reactance among young adults in Italy

Western governments’ attempts to encourage young adults to adopt COVID-19 contact tracing apps (CTAs) have been unsuccessful. Drawing on psychological reactance theory, we propose that government-imposed containment measures (e.g., lockdowns, curfews) may cause young adults to resist CTAs. We investigate how and when threats to freedom posed by government-imposed containment measures to young adults reduce their CTA adoption intentions. We conducted a survey of young adults during the second general lockdown (March‒April 2021) in Italy. The results show that when young Italian adults focus on the restrictive nature of government-imposed containment measures, their sense of freedom is threatened. Threats to freedom produce psychological states of either helplessness or reactance, depending on if young Italian adults think they can recover their freedom. Helpless young adults are motivated to adopt CTAs because they seek guidance from containment measures. Reactant young adults resist CTAs because they exhibit aversive psychological states toward containment measures. These results offer relevant insights for policymakers. They shed light on young Italian adults’ resistance toward CTAs. They also inform governments on how to interact more efficiently with young adults if a novel pandemic should occur.

“To comply or to react, that is the question:” the roles of humanness versus eeriness of AI-powered virtual influencers, loneliness, and threats to human identities in AI-driven digital transformation

AI-powered virtual influencers play a variety of roles in emerging media environments. To test the diffusion of AI-powered virtual influencers among social media users and to examine antecedents, mediators, and moderators relevant to compliance with and reactance to virtual influencers, data were collected using two cross-sectional surveys (∑ N = 1623). Drawing on the Diffusion of Innovations theory, survey data from Study 1 (N1 = 987) provide preliminary descriptive statistics about US social media users' levels of awareness of, knowledge of, exposure to, and engagement with virtual influencers. Drawing from the theoretical frameworks of the Uncanny Valley Hypothesis and the CASA (Computers Are Social Actors) paradigm, Study 2 examines social media users' compliance with versus reactance to AI-powered virtual influencers. Survey data from Study 2 (N2 = 636) provide inferential statistics supporting the moderated serial mediation model that proposes (1) empathy and engagement with AI-powered virtual influencers mediate the effects of perceived humanness versus eeriness of virtual influencers on social media users' behavioral intention to purchase the products recommended by the virtual influencers (serial and total mediation effects) and (2) loneliness moderates the effects of humanness versus eeriness on empathy. Drawing from the theory of Psychological Reactance, Study 2 further reports the moderation effect of social media users' trait reactance and perceived threats to one's own human identity on the relationship between perceived eeriness and compliance with versus situational reactance to virtual influencers. Theoretical contributions to CASA research and the Uncanny Valley literature as well as managerial implications for AI-driven digital transformation in media industries and virtual influencer marketing are discussed.

Promoting COVID-19 booster vaccines in Macao: A psychological reactance perspective

RationaleThe booster vaccine plays a key role in ending COVID-19 crisis. However, promoting COVID-19 booster vaccination often interferes with individuals’ freedom of choice and leads to psychological reactance. ObjectiveTo promote the public's intention to receive COVID-19 booster dose, this study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of different message designs from psychological reactance theory's perspective. MethodA 2 × 2 × 2 factorial experiment was conducted in Macao in January 2022 (N = 469). Partial least squares structural equation modeling and a complementary three-way ANOVA were performed to examine the effects of message frame (gain frame vs. loss frame), freedom restoration postscripts (present vs. absent), and other-referencing cues (present vs. absent) on reducing psychological reactance. ResultsThe present study has successfully broadened the scope of the psychological reactance theory by examining its applicability to the context of COVID-19 booster vaccination promotion. Our findings indicate that the gain-framed promotion messages tend to be the most effective in reducing perceived reactance. However, freedom restoration postscripts, other-referencing cues, and mixed message design were found to be ineffective in alleviating reactance. Besides, the insignificance of direct effect from message frame to intention suggests that the message design itself cannot influence people's vaccination intentions; rather, it must rely on reducing perceived threat, reactance, and further improving vaccination intentions. ConclusionsOur study offered valuable insights from psychological reactance perspective, identifying message features that can be effective in health promotions. Furthermore, message design specifically aimed at reducing the threat to freedom may yield unexpected persuasive effects, an aspect currently overlooked in health promotion strategies.

A Test of Autonomy Restoration Postscripts to Mitigate Psychological Reactance to an Opt-Out Organ Donor Registry in the United States

ABSTRACT The organ shortage continues to present problems around the world including the United States. In response, some countries have switched from an opt-in organ donor registry to an opt-out registry. The United States currently utilizes an opt-in registry where an individual is not considered an organ donor until they register their intentions. In the current study, U.S. adults were randomly assigned to a 2 (message valence: promotional, refutational) x 2 (autonomy restoration postscript: present, not present) x 2 (social proof: high likes, low likes) posttest only control group design evaluating social media message regarding an opt-out organ donor registry for implementation in the U.S. Results revealed an interaction between message valence and autonomy on freedom threat perceptions toward the message. Consistent with psychological reactance theory, freedom threat perceptions were positively associated with reactance, which in turn was positively associated with an intention to sign a petition and call a representative to voice disapproval of the opt-out organ donor registry. The discussion is focused on pragmatic recommendations for organ donor practitioners and advocates as well as the theoretical contributions to reactance theory.

Rating deviation and manipulated reviews on the Internet—A multi-method study

Manipulated reviews can mislead consumers to make inappropriate purchase decisions and reduce consumers’ dependency on online reviews, jeopardizing the platforms’ reputation. Existing studies mainly focus on the detection and the impact of manipulated reviews but are limited in examining the determinants of review legitimacy from the perspective of consumer perception. The current research introduces perceived review manipulation, defined as the extent to which an individual perceives a review as non-authentic with the goal of misleading others and influencing product sales. Using psychological reactance theory as a general framework, we investigate the impact of reviews with deviation from the average ratings on perceived review manipulation and review adoption. We future examine two boundary conditions of the above relationship—the moderating effects of review content concreteness and reviewer rating distribution. We adopt a multi-method approach to the empirical test of the research model. First, three online randomized experiments reveal that: (1) reviews with deviant ratings are more likely to be perceived as manipulated; (2) the relationship in (1) is enhanced when review content is abstract rather than concrete and when a reviewer is usually negative/positive (i.e., his/her rating distribution has positive/negative skewness) based on the deviation direction; and (3) perceived review manipulation negatively influences review adoption. Second, a field study was conducted to support the external validity of our research model. Our findings have academic and practical implications.

Unraveling the Influential Mechanisms of Social Commerce Overloads on User Disengagement: The Buffer Effect of Guanxi.

Although user engagement has been paid increasing attention, the work on user disengagement is scarce, and little is understood about how overloads elicited by excessive social commerce activities affect user disengagement. Based on the stimulus-organism-response (SOR) framework and psychological reactance theory (PRT), the authors aimed to investigate the effects of social commerce overloads (SCOs) on user disengagement, its influential mechanism, and the buffer effect of guanxi. The authors conducted an online survey to collect the data and then examined our theoretical model and hypotheses. This study employed SPSS 20.0 software and Amos 24.0 software to examine the hypothesized relationships and the model. Social commerce overloads (ie, information overload (IO), social overload (SO), and communication overload (CO)) positively impact reactance via inferences of manipulative intent (IMI) and compulsive perception (CP); IMI and CP positively influence reactance; IMI, CP, and reactance positively affect user disengagement (ie, neglecting behavior and blocking behavior); guanxi has the buffer effect on the relationship between IMI (CP) and user disengagement, negatively moderates the impacts of IMI on user disengagement (ie, neglecting behavior and blocking behavior), and negatively moderates the effects of CP on blocking behavior but not neglecting behavior. The findings of this study contribute to the literature on PRT and user disengagement by displaying the effects of excessive social commerce activities on user disengagement and uncovering the buffer effect of guanxi, which can help social e-commerce practitioners better reduce the negative effect of social commerce overloads.