The role of source characteristics and style in the perception of public service announcement (PSA) messages: Experimental study of anti-vaping social advertising for student population
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33910/2686-9527-2024-6-2-199-209Keywords:
public service announcement, vaping, persuasive communication, author, narrative, university studentsAbstract
Introduction. Currently, smoking electronic cigarettes (vaping) is considered one of the most widespread and prominent health concerns among young people, with e-cigarette use among young adults surging annually. So, the development of effective public service advertisements (PSAs) is essential to both inform young adults about the actual consequences of vaping and prevent them from engaging in this behaviour. However, there is still a lack of research on how different aspects of anti-vaping PSAs can influence attitudes and intentions, especially regarding the interaction between these factors. To address this issue, this study examines the effectiveness of PSAs among young adults in Russia by focusing on the impact of various message sources (expert vs. peer) and styles (narrative vs. non-narrative) as well as their interactions based on the match-up hypothesis.
Materials and Methods. The study employed a 2x2 factorial between-subjects experimental design to compare the impact of different message sources and styles on behaviour and attitudes, utilising a four-group posttest randomised design and involving vaping bachelor university students (N = 112).
Results. Expert message sources were more effective in developing a positive attitude towards PSA than peer sources. Exposure to narratively styled messages was associated with a more negative attitude towards vaping compared to non-narrative ones. Nevertheless, no significant differences were observed in the effect of message sources or message styles on the vaping intention. No significant interaction effect between the message sources and styles was found in terms of their influence on the attitude towards PSA, attitude towards vaping and vaping intention.
Conclusion. The findings contribute to the development of more effective anti-vaping advertisements, with implications for public health campaigns. Limitations and directions for future research are discussed.
References
Ahn, H.-Y., Paek, H.-J., Tinkham, S. (2019) The role of source characteristics and message appeals in public service advertising (PSA) messages: An application of fishbein’s expectancy-value model and the match-up hypothesis for anti-binge-drinking campaigns targeting college students. Journal of Current Issues & Research in Advertising, vol. 40, no. 2, pp. 147–170. https://doi.org/10.1080/10641734.2018.1503112 (In English)
Allen, M., Preiss, R. W. (1997) Comparing the persuasiveness of narrative and statistical evidence using meta-analysis. Communication Research Reports, vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 125–131. https://doi.org/10.1080/08824099709388654 (In English)
Bekalu, M. A., Bigman, C. A., McCloud, R. F. et al. (2018) The relative persuasiveness of narrative versus non-narrative health messages in public health emergency communication: Evidence from a field experiment. Preventive Medicine, vol. 111, pp. 284–290. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2017.11.014 (In English)
Outbreak of lung injury associated with the use of e-cigarette, or vaping, products (2021) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). [Online]. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/e-cigarettes/severe-lung-disease.html (accessed 13.03.2023). (In English)
Dai, H., Leventhal, A. M. (2019) Prevalence of e-cigarette use among adults in the United States, 2014–2018. Jama, vol. 322, no. 18, pp. 1824–1827. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2019.15331 (In English)
Gilly, M. C., Graham, J. L., Wolfinbarger, M. F., Yale, L. J. (1998) A dyadic study of interpersonal information search. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, vol. 26, no. 2, pp. 83–100. https://doi.org/10.1177/0092070398262001 (In English)
Grier, S., Bryant, C. A. (2005) Social marketing in public health. Annual Review of Public Health, vol. 26, pp. 319– 339. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.publhealth.26.021304.144610 (In English)
Han, B., Fink, E. L. (2012) How do statistical and narrative evidence affect persuasion?: The role of evidentiary features. Argumentation and Advocacy, vol. 49, no. 1, pp. 39–58. https://doi.org/10.1080/00028533.2012.11821779 (In English)
Hill, L. (2004) Alcohol health promotion via mass media: The evidence on (in) effectiveness. In: Eurocare “Bridging the Gap” Conference 16–19 June 2004. Warsaw: New Zealand Drug Foundation Publ.; Global Alcohol Policy Alliance Publ. [Online]. Available at: https://studyres.com/doc/16361235/alcohol-health-promotion-via-mass-media (accessed 15.03.2024). (In English)
Hinyard, L. J., Kreuter, M. W. (2007) Using narrative communication as a tool for health behavior change: A conceptual, theoretical, and empirical overview. Health Education & Behavior, vol. 34, no. 5, pp. 777–792. https://doi.org/10.1177/1090198106291963 (In English)
Hu, Y., Shyam Sundar, S. (2010) Effects of online health sources on credibility and behavioral intentions. Communication Research, vol. 37, no. 1, pp. 105–132. https://doi.org/10.1177/0093650209351512 (In English)
Igartua, J. J., Vega Casanova, J. (2016) Identification with characters, elaboration, and counterarguing in entertainment-education interventions through audiovisual fiction. Journal of Health Communication, vol. 21, no. 3, pp. 293– 300. https://doi.org/10.1080/10810730.2015.1064494 (In English)
Ivanov, A. S. (2021) Nauchnyj status i prakticheskij opyt prepodavatelya kak faktory sotsial’no-psikhologicheskoj interpretatsii ego lichnosti studentami-psikhologami [Academic status and practical experience of university teachers as factors of socio-psychological interpretation of their personality by students]. Psikhologiya cheloveka v obrazovanii— Psychology in Education, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 41–51. https://doi.org/10.33910/2686-9527-2021-3-1-41-51 (In Russian)
Jones, L. W., Sinclair, R. C., Courneya, K. S. (2003) The effects of source credibility and message framing on exercise intentions, behaviors, and attitudes: An integration of the elaboration likelihood model and prospect theory 1. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, vol. 33, no. 1, pp. 179–196. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1559-1816.2003.tb02078.x (In English)
Kamins, M. A. (1990) An investigation into the “match-up” hypothesis in celebrity advertising: When beauty may be only skin deep. Journal of Advertising, vol. 19, no. 1, pp. 4–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/00913367.1990.10673175 (In English)
Kuril’shchikov vejpov v Rossii stalo v tri raza bol’she [There are three times more vaping smokers in Russia]. (2023) RBK. [Online]. Available at: https://www.rbc.ru/rbcfreenews/6513cfa69a794715e1bd11cd?from=copy (accessed 05.03.2024). (In Russian)
Love, M., Gierer, S. (2022) Electronic cigarettes and vaping in allergic and asthmatic disease. Immunology and Allergy Clinics of North America, vol. 42, no. 4, pp. 787–800. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iac.2022.06.002 (In English)
Nabi, R. L., Green, M. C. (2015) The role of a narrative’s emotional flow in promoting persuasive outcomes. Media Psychology, vol. 18, no. 2, pp. 137–162. https://doi.org/10.1080/15213269.2014.912585 (In English)
Nan, X. (2008) The influence of liking for a public service announcement on issue attitude. Communication Research, vol. 35, no. 4, pp. 503–528. https://doi.org/10.1177/0093650208316053 (In English)
Perloff, R. M. (2007) The dynamics of persuasion. Communication and attitudes in the 21st century. 2nd ed. New York: Routledge Publ., 424 p. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781410606884 (In English)
Pisinger, C., Døssing, M. (2014) A systematic review of health effects of electronic cigarettes. Preventive Medicine, vol. 69, pp. 248–260. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2014.10.009 (In English)
Raheem, O., Shah, T., Morenas, R., El-Shahawy, O. (2022) Association of poly-tobacco use with erectile dysfunction: Findings from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) study. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, vol. 19, no. 1 (suppl.), p. S74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsxm.2022.01.405 (In English)
Reinhard, M., Sporer, S. L. (2010) Content versus source cue information as a basis for credibility judgments. Social Psychology, vol. 41, no. 2, pp. 93–104. https://doi.org/10.1027/1864-9335/a000014 (In English)
Schank, R. C., Berman, T. R. (2003) The pervasive role of stories in knowledge and action. In: M. C. Green, J. J. Strange, T. C. Brock (eds.). Narrative Impact. Social and Cognitive Foundations. New York: Psychology Press, pp. 287–314. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781410606648 (In English)
Stephenson, M. T. (2003) Examining adolescents’ responses to antimarijuana PSAs. Human Communication Research, vol. 29, no. 3, pp. 343–369. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2958.2003.tb00843.x (In English)
Tret’ potrebitelej elektronnykh sigaret v Rossii prishlas’ na molodezh’ [One third of e-cigarette consumers in Russia are young people]. (2017) RBK. [Online]. Available at: https://www.rbc.ru/business/08/02/2017/589b10469a79477d222745dc (accessed 10.02.2023). (In Russian)
Zebregs, S., van den Putte, B., Neijens, P., de Graaf, A. (2015) The differential impact of statistical and narrative evidence on beliefs, attitude, and intention: A meta-analysis. Health Communication, vol. 30, no. 3, pp. 282–289. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2013.842528 (In English)
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Yulia S. Benidovskaya, Ksenia Yu. Eritsyan
![Creative Commons License](http://i.creativecommons.org/l/by-nc/4.0/88x31.png)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
The work is provided under the terms of the Public Offer and of Creative Commons public license Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0). This license allows an unlimited number of persons to reproduce and share the Licensed Material in all media and formats. Any use of the Licensed Material shall contain an identification of its Creator(s) and must be for non-commercial purposes only.