Showing papers by "Joseph N. Cappella published in 2009"

Antismoking Threat and Efficacy Appeals: Effects on Smoking Cessation Intentions for Smokers with Low and High Readiness to Quit

Abstract: This study examined the effects of sequencing different types of antismoking threat and efficacy appeals on smoking cessation intentions for smokers with low and high levels of readiness to quit. An experiment was done to test predictions based on Witte's (1992) Extended Parallel Process Model and research by Cho and Salmon (2006). A national probability sample of 555 adult smokers was recruited to take part in this study. Results found a positive two-way interaction effect between message threat and perceived level of message efficacy on intentions to seek help for quitting. A three-way interaction effect was found between message threat, perceived level of message efficacy, and readiness to quit on quitting intentions. Both threat and efficacy were important for smokers with low readiness to quit, whereas efficacy was most important among smokers with high readiness to quit. Implications of the results for antismoking campaigns are discussed along with limitations and future directions.

Effects of information framing on human papillomavirus vaccination.

Abstract: Background: In June 2006, the first vaccine to prevent human papillomavirus (HPV) transmission was approved for use in females in the United States. Because the vaccine was approved for females as young as 9, its success depends on parents' and individuals' willingness to accept vaccination. Little is known about how attitudes toward this vaccine will be influenced by the way the vaccine is portrayed in the media or in public debate. Methods: To assess the effects of information framing on intentions to vaccinate self or female children, if appropriate, 635 adults read one of three short descriptive paragraphs about the vaccine, each of which emphasized a different aspect of the vaccine. Participants were then asked about their intentions to vaccinate under cost or no-cost conditions. Results: Women who read that the vaccine protects only against cervical cancer had significantly higher intentions to vaccinate themselves when the vaccine was available at little or no cost compared with women who ...

Lost in Translation? A Comparison of Cancer-Genetics Reporting in the Press Release and its Subsequent Coverage in Lay Press.

Abstract: Understanding how genetic science is communicated to the lay public is of great import, given that media coverage of genetics is increasing exponentially and that the ways in which discoveries are presented in the news can have significant effects on a variety of health outcomes. To address this issue, this study examines the presentation of genetic research relating to cancer outcomes and behaviors (i.e., prostate cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, smoking and obesity) in both the press release (N = 23) and its subsequent news coverage (N = 71) by using both quantitative content analysis and qualitative textual analysis. In contrast to earlier studies reporting that news stories often misrepresent genetics by presenting biologically deterministic and simplified portrayals (e.g., Mountcastle-Shah et al., 2003; Ten Eych & Williment, 2003), our data shows no clear trends in the direction of distortion toward deterministic claims in news articles. Also, other errors commonly attributed to science journalism, such as lack of qualifying details and use of oversimplified language (e.g., "fat gene") are observed in press releases. These findings suggest that the intermediary press release rather than news coverage may serve as a source of distortion in the dissemination of science to the lay public. The implications of this study for future research in this area are discussed.

The effect of smoking cues in antismoking advertisements on smoking urge and psychophysiological reactions.

Abstract: Introduction: Studies have found that smoking-related cues elicit smoking urges in addicted smokers. This work presents the fi rst cue-reactivity study in the context of antismoking advertisements. Methods: Using a two (no cue vs. smoking cue) by two (high vs. low argument strength) mixed design, we tested the hypothesis that smoking cues presented in antismoking advertisements elicit smoking urges. The study tested 96 adult smokers using both self-reported and psychophysiological measures of smoking urge. It also explored gender differences during the urge elicitation. Results: Smoking cues in antismoking advertisements elicited smoking urges in the weak argument condition.

Experimental evaluation of antitobacco PSAs: Effects of message content and format on physiological and behavioral outcomes

Abstract: Introduction : Antitobacco media campaigns using public ser- vice announcements (PSAs) have shown promise in reducing smoking initiation and increasing intentions to quit. Research on what makes an effective PSA has had mixed outcomes. The present study tested the effects of specifi c message features in antitobacco PSAs, using theory-based physiological and self-re- port outcomes. Methods : PSAs were categorized as high or low in message sen- sation value (MSV) and strength of argument and presented to 200 current smokers in a 2 × 2 factorial design. Physiological responses — specifi cally, heart rate, skin conductance, zygomati- cus major, and corrugator supercilii — were assessed while par- ticipants viewed the PSAs. Beliefs, attitudes, effi cacy, norms, and intentions to quit were assessed immediately following viewing. Results : Corrugator activity was signifi cantly greater in the high MSV condition. Among those low in sensation seeking, low MSV PSAs elicited higher self-effi cacy, whereas the reverse was true for high sensation seekers. High MSV PSAs elicited higher negative beliefs in low sensation seekers. Adding physiological measures to a model predicting intention to quit did not im- prove the explained variance. Discussion : The present study represents the fi rst comprehen- sive theory-based experimental investigation of the effects of dif- ferent features of antitobacco PSAs and provides a framework for future research in identifying effective features of such PSAs. Re- sults illustrate the importance of considering individual differ-

The effect of marijuana scenes in anti-marijuana public service announcements on adolescents' evaluation of ad effectiveness.

Abstract: This study explored the possible negative impact of a specific ad feature-marijuana scenes-on adolescents' perceptions of ad effectiveness. A secondary data analysis was conducted on adolescents' evaluations of 60 anti-marijuana public service announcements that were a part of national and state anti-drug campaigns directed at adolescents. The major finding of the study was that marijuana scenes in anti-marijuana public service announcements negatively affected ad liking and thought valence toward the ads among adolescents who were at higher levels of risk for marijuana use. This negative impact was not reversed in the presence of strong anti-marijuana arguments. The results may be used to partially explain the lack of effectiveness of the anti-drug media campaign. It may also help researchers design more effective anti-marijuana ads by isolating adverse elements in the ads that may elicit boomerang effects in the target population.