Protection Motivation Theory (PMT)

Question 1

Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) → BACKGROUND

• development

Answer 1

originally proposed & developed by Rogers in 1970s

• to explain effects of fear appeals on health attitudes & behaviors
  
  • ​sought to identify key variables in fear appeals & their cognitive mediational effects

Partially based off of Lazarus & Leventhal’s work on appraisal process in emotion (Appraisal Theory)

Bandura theorized that effective coping defenses prohibit fear arousal

• emotion (fear) & cognition (danger appraisal) interact to cause search for coping behavior

Question 2

Fear Drive Model

• main assertion

Answer 2

fear acts as a drive that motivates trial & error behavior

fear-evoking message → motivated to reduce unpleasant emotional situation

if message contains reassuring behavioral advice → provides way to reduce threat

• if advised behavior reduces fear → reinforced
• if NOT → maladaptive coping reactions (threat denial, avoidance of fear-evoking msg)

Question 3

Fear Appeal

• presents? (3)

Answer 3

persuasive message that attempts to arouse fear in order to change behavior through threat of impending danger/harm

• presents a risk, vulnerability & suggested form of action

Question 4

PMT Model → Description

Answer 4

stimulus variables (sources of information) initiate 2 independant appraisal processes

these perceptions influence protection motivation (behavioral intention), which results in adaptive or maladaptive coping

Question 5

3 main stimulus variables in a fear appeal

Answer 5

a) magnitude of severity
b) probability of occurence
c) efficacy of advised response

each initiates corresponding cognitive mediational process (perceptions) which influence protection motivation

Question 6

PMT → Revised

Answer 6

Includes additional:

• stimulus variables → sources of info
• cognitive mediational processes (perceptions)

Question 7

Revised PMT → Stimulus Variables

• aka?
• (2) categories
  
  • (4) ​

Answer 7

aka sources of information

ENVIRONMENTAL

• verbal persuasion
• observational learning

INTRAPERSONAL

• personality variables
• previous experience

Question 8

Cognitive Mediating Processes

Answer 8

Initiated by stimulus variables (sources of info)

organized into 2 independent appraisal processes

result in adaptive or maladaptive coping

Question 9

Appraisal Processes

Answer 9

a) Threat Appraisal
b) Coping Appraisal

Question 10

a) Threat Appraisal

Answer 10

evaluation of maladaptive response

→ focus on source of threat & factors influencing response probability (↑/↓)

Question 11

b) Coping Appraisal

Answer 11

evaluation of adaptive response

→focus on available coping responses & factors influencing response probability (↑/↓)

Question 12

Threat Appraisal

• consists of?

Answer 12

factors ↓ probability of maladaptive response:

• perceived severity
• perceived vulnerability

​Fear = additional intervening variable between ^ & level of appraised threat

factors ↑ probability of maladaptive response:

• intrinsic rewards
• extrinsic rewards

Question 13

Coping Appraisal

• consists of?

Answer 13

factors ↑ probability of adaptive response:

• response efficacy
• self-efficacy

factors ↓ probability of adaptive response:

• response costs (barriers)

Question 14

Response Efficacy

Answer 14

belief that recommended behavior is effective in reducing threat

Question 15

Coping Modes

Answer 15

Adaptive & Maladaptive Coping

• result of 2 appraisal processes

Question 16

PMT → Main Assertions/Assumptions

Answer 16

Threat Appraisal & Coping Appraisal result in:

intention to perform adaptive response (Protection Motivation), which mediates protective behavior (coping modes)

Question 17

(4) Key Constructs

Answer 17

a) Perceived Severity
b) Perceived Vulnerability
c) Perceived Response Efficacy
d) Perceived Self-Efficacy

Question 18

Maladaptive Responses

Answer 18

responses that place individual at health risk

• includes behaviors or absence of behaviors that lead to negative consequences

Question 19

Protection Motivation

• is the result of?
• determinant of? Explain.

Answer 19

behavioral intention (to follow advised action)

• result of threat & coping appraisal
• proximal determinant of protective behavior → arouses, sustains & directs action
  
  • mediating variable between appraisal processes & protective behavior

Question 20

Protection Motivation

• positive function of?
• negative function of?

Answer 20

positive function of:

• perceptions of severity, vulnerability, response & self-efficacy

negative function of:

• perceptions of intrinsic & extrinic (maladaptive response) rewards & adaptive response costs

Question 21

For Protection Motivation to be provoked… (2)

Answer 21

perceptions of severity & vulnerability** should outweigh **rewards of maladaptive behavior

perceptions of response & self-efficacy** should outweigh **response costs of adaptive behavior