Fear appeals: the influence of threat orientations
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to assess the interactive impact of dispositional threat orientation and affirmation (both self-affirmation and self-efficacy) on the effectiveness of fear appeals.
Design/methodology/approach
A 3 × 2 × 2 × 2 fully crossed, mixed experimental design is used. The study is conducted through an on-line survey platform. Participants are nationally representative in terms of age, gender and geographic location within the USA.
Findings
Threat orientation impacts individuals’ responses to fear appeals. Control-oriented individuals respond in a more adaptive manner, heightened-sensitivity-oriented individuals are a “mixed-bag” and denial-oriented individuals respond in a more maladaptive manner. Affirmations (both self-affirmation and self-efficacy) interact with threat orientation in some cases to predict response to threat.
Research limitations/implications
This research used a cross-sectional approach in an on-line environment. A longitudinal study with a stronger self-affirmation intervention and self-efficacy manipulation would offer a stronger test.
Practical implications
Social marketers should consider whether their primary target market has a general tendency toward a particular threat orientation when considering the use of fear appeals. Social marketers should consider the potential benefits of a self-affirmation intervention.
Social implications
Individuals’ personality dispositions impact how they respond to fear appeals, which may explain why some seemingly well executed fear appeals are unsuccessful whereas others succeed.
Originality/value
Little or no research has examined the use of self-affirmation to overcome the challenges posed by dispositional threat orientation. This research gives an early glimpse into how these issues interplay.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors gratefully acknowledge funding from the Master of Science in Management program at the University of Lethbridge. Additionally, the first author thanks his wife Deborah for her patience and support during the research process.
Citation
Awagu, C. and Basil, D.Z. (2016), "Fear appeals: the influence of threat orientations", Journal of Social Marketing, Vol. 6 No. 4, pp. 361-376. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSOCM-12-2014-0089
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited