lecture 8: emotions

Question 1

defining fear appeal

Answer 1

aim: persuasive communication to heighten arousal and the threat of future negative outcomes
assumption: fear is an unpleasant state that people will respond to with cognitive, affective and behavioral responses (motivation to engage in precaution and self-protecting actions)

Question 2

theories that explain how fear appeals work

Answer 2

1. protection motivation theory
   - from emotion to cognition
   - focus is on perceived threat, the cognition (not so much fear as an emotion
   - variables: response-efficacy, self-efficacy, severity, vulnerability
2. extended parallel processing model
   - see other flashcard for explanation

Question 3

extended parallel processing model

Answer 3

danger control: is the initial reaction after perceiving threat
fear control: can occur after initial reaction, receiver can’t avoid the threat, but can control and escape the fear

if low perceived threat: no motivation to process, ignore the fear appeal
if high perceived threat: people scared, fear motivates to reduce fear (perceived efficacy of recommendation determines what kind of action)

high threat, high coping appraisal: threatened, high perceived response and self-efficacy. danger control and adaptive response -> behavior change

high threat, low coping appraisal: threatened, but low perceived response/self-efficacy. fear control and maladaptive response -> denial, defensive, avoidance

Question 4

conclusion: to fear or not to fear?

Answer 4

fear appeals are popular

• severity is often the most visible component
• short term effects
• empirical evidence for persuasive effects isn’t very convincing

Question 5

are empathy appeals more effective as fear appeal

Answer 5

• over it’s equally effective
• empathy more effective for women than men
• for occasional smokers: fear appeals more effective than empathy appeals
• regular smokers: empathy appeal more effective than fear appeals

Question 6

article Mukherjee & Dube results fear and humor

Answer 6

design:
- fear tension arousal: moderate vs. high
- humor: absent vs. present

results:

• high fear and humor present were the most effective
• than humor with moderate fear, than moderate fear with no humor, than high fear with no humor
• message elaboration is mediated

Question 7

definition affect

Answer 7

= the experience of emotion

- thought of as in contrast to cognition (thinking, remembering, knowing etc.) and conation (how one acts)

Question 8

3 types of affective responses

Answer 8

1. immediate emotions
   - emotions in the current moment, which are both related and unrelated to current choices or behaviour
   - example: response when are tiger yells
2. anticipatory emotions: emotions that you experience now due to the prospect of a future event
   - example: i am afraid of flying
3. anticipated emotions
   - emotions that you expect to experience in the future if certain event do(n’t) occur
   - example: i will regret afterwards

Question 9

article koch results anticipated regret

Answer 9

• there’s a clear connection between anticipated regret and many health topics: anticipated regret –> intention –> behavior

negative consequences of anticipated regret:

• people may procrastinate making a decision
• overestimate regret, leading to more anxiety