The Persuasive Influence of Emotion in Cancer Prevention and Detection Messages

This paper reviews and summarizes the literature on the relationship between emotion and persuasion as it bears on the production of cancer prevention and detection messages. A series of propositions are presented that serve to illustrate the intricacies of the emotion–persuasion relationship. These propositions deal with the necessary conditions for emotional arousal, individual differences in emotional reactivity to cancer messages, the potential for emotion-inducing messages to produce persuasive and counterpersuasive effects, the conditions that circumscribe the influence of emotions on persuasion, and the mechanisms by which that influence is achieved. To the extent that the literature permits, advice on message design is offered. doi:10.1111/j.1460-2466.2006.00286.x Among its many responsibilities, the National Cancer Institute produces messages that encourage individuals to (a) behave in ways that lessen their risk of cancer and (b) recommend actions to detect cancer in its earliest stages. Given the inherently threatening nature of cancer, it may be impossible for such messages to achieve these goals without intentionally or unintentionally arousing their audiences’ emotions. Although emotions can overwhelm individuals, they may also motivate behaviors that are psychologically difficult to enact. The effective use of emotions as persuasive devices, however, requires an understanding of not only principles related to emotional arousal but also the processes that allow emotional arousal to be translated into an effective action. This article is intended to speak to these two overarching issues. Although there is scant literature linking persuasive effects of emotion and cancer-related issues, we illustrate our claims with cancer-related research whenever possible, including previously unpublished data on individuals’ reactions to an antitobacco public service announcement (PSA). However, we augment these data with hypothetical message scenarios to further illuminate our points, which we outline in the eight propositions that follow.

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