On the nature of reactance and its role in persuasive health communication

Communication Monographs

Volumn 72, Issue 2, 2005, Pages 144-168

  Dillard, James Price ^a   Shen, Lijiang ^b  

^a PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY   (United States)

^b UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN MADISON   (United States)

Author keywords

Anger; Persuasion; Reactance; Threat to Freedom

Indexed keywords

EID: 23044479110     PISSN: 03637751     EISSN: 14795787     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1080/03637750500111815     Document Type: Article

References (67)

1. Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50, 179-211.
2. Benoit, W. L. (1998). Forewarning and persuasion. In M. Allen, & R. W. Preiss (Eds.), Persuasion: Advances through meta-analysis (pp. 139-154). Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press Inc.
3. Bensley, L. S., & Wu, R. (1991). The role of psychological reactance in drinking following alcohol prevention messages. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 21, 1111-1124.
4. Bollen, K. (1989). Structural equations with latent variables. New York: Wiley.
5. Brehm, J. W. (1966). A theory of psychological reactance. New York: Academic Press.
6. Brehm, J. W., Stires, L. K., Sensenig, J., & Shaban, J. (1966). The attractiveness of an eliminated choice alternative. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 2, 301-313.
7. Brehm, S. S., & Brehm, J. W. (1981). Psychological reactance: A theory of freedom and control. New York: Academic Press.
8. Brown, M. W., & Cudeck, R. (1993). Alternative ways of assessing model fit. In K. A. Bollen, & J. S. Long (Eds.), Testing structural equation models (pp. 136-162). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
9. Buller, D. B., Borland, R., & Burgoon, M. (1998). Impact of behavioral intention on effectiveness of message features: Evidence from the family sun safety project. Human Communication Research, 24, 422-453.
10. Buller, D. B., Burgoon, M., Hall, J. R., Levine, N., Taylor, A. N., Beach, B., Buller, M. K., & Melcher, C. (2000). Long-term effects of language intensity in preventive messages on planned family solar protection. Health Communication, 12, 262-275.
11. Burgoon, M., Alvaro, E., Grandpre, J., & Voulodakis, M. (2002). Revisiting the theory of psychological reactance: Communicating threats to attitudinal freedom. In J. P. Dillard, & M. W. Pfau (Eds.), The persuasion handbook: Developments in theory and practice (pp. 213-232). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
12. Cacioppo, J. T., & Petty, R. E. (1981). Social psychological procedures for cognitive response assessment: The thought-listing technique. In T. V. Merluzzi, C. R. Glass, & M. Genest (Eds.), Cognitive assessment (pp. 309-342). New York: Guilford Press.
13. Chaffee, S. H. (1991). Explication. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
14. Derryberry, D., & Tucker, D. M. (1994). Motivating the focus of attention. In P. N. Niedenthal, & S. Kitayama (Eds.), The heart's eye: Emotional influences in perception and attention (pp. 167-196). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
15. Dillard, J. P., Kinney, T. A., & Cruz, M. G. (1996). Influence, appraisals, and emotions in close relationships. Communication Monographs, 63, 105-130.
16. Dillard, J. P., & Meijnders, A. (2002). Persuasion and the structure of affect. In J. P. Dillard, & M. Pfau (Eds.), The persuasion handbook: Developments in theory and practice (pp. 309-327). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
17. Dillard, J. P., & Peck, E. (2000). Affect and persuasion: Emotional responses to public service announcements. Communication Research, 27, 461-495.
18. Dillard, J. P., & Peck, E. (2001). Persuasion and the structure of affect: Dual systems and discrete emotions as complementary models. Human Communication Research, 27, 38-68.
19. Dillard, J. P., Plotnick, C. A., Godbold, L. C., Freimuth, V. S., & Edgar, T. (1996). The multiple affective consequences of AIDS PSAs: Fear appeals do more than scare people. Communication Research, 23, 44-72.
20. Dillard, J. P., Wilson, S. R., Tusing, K. J., & Kinney, T. A. (1997). Politeness judgments in personal relationships. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 16, 297-325.
21. Doob, A. N., & Zabrack, M. (1971). The effect of freedom-threatening instructions and monetary inducement on compliance. Canadian Journal of Behavioral Science, 3, 408-412.
22. Dowd, E. T., Hughs, S. L., Brockbank, L., & Halpain, D. (1988). Compliance-based and defiance-based intervention strategies and psychological reactance in the treatment of free and unfree behavior. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 35, 370-376.
23. Fishbein, M., & Ajzen, I. (1975). Belief, attitude, intention, and behavior: An introduction to theory and research. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
24. Fishbein, M., & Yzer, M. C. (2003). Using theory to design effective health behavior interventions. Communication Theory, 13, 164-183.
25. Foxcraft, D. R., Lister-Sharp, D., & Lowe, G. (1997). Alcohol misuse prevention for young people: A systematic review reveals methodological concerns and lack of reliable evidence of effectiveness. Addiction, 92, 531-537.
26. Greenwald, A. G. (1989). Why are attitudes important? In A. R. Pratkanis, S. J. Breckler, & A. G. Greenwald (Eds.), Attitude structure and function (pp. 1-11). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
27. Guttman, N. (2000). Public health communication interventions: Values and ethical dilemmas. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
28. Guttman, N., Kegler, M., & McLeroy, K. R. (1996). Health promotion paradoxes, antinomies, and conundrums. Health Education Research, Theory, and Practice, 11, i-xiii.
29. Hammock, T., & Brehm, J. W. (1966). The attractiveness of choice alternatives when freedom to choose is eliminated by a social agent. Journal of Personality, 34, 546-554.
30. Heller, J., Pallak, M., & Picek, J. (1973). The interactive effects of intent and threat on boomerang attitude change. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 26, 273-279.
31. Hong, S. M. (1992). Hong's Psychological Reactance Scale: A further factor analytic validation. Psychological Reports, 70, 512-514.
32. Hong, S. M., & Faedda, S. (1996). Refinement of the Hong Psychological Reactance Scale. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 56, 173-182.
33. Hong, S. M., & Page, S. (1989). A psychological reactance scale: Development, factor structure and reliability. Psychological Reports, 64, 1323-1326.
34. Hornik, R. (2002). Public health communication: Making sense of the evidence. In R. Hornik (Ed.), Public health communication (pp. 1-19). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
35. Jöreskog, K., & Sörbom, D. (1996). Lisrel 8: User's reference guide. Chicago: Scientific Software International.
36. Kelly, A. E., & Nauta, M. M. (1997). Reactance and thought suppression. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 23, 1123-1132.
37. Kim, K. S., & Hunter, J. E. (1993a). Attitude-behavior relations: A meta-analysis of attitudinal relevance and topic. Journal of Communication, 43, 101-142.
38. Kim, K. S., & Hunter, J. E. (1993b). Relationships among attitudes, behavioral intentions, and behavior. Communication Research, 20, 331-364.
39. Kohn, P. M., & Barnes, G. E. (1977). Subject variables and reactance to persuasive communications about drugs. European Journal of Social Psychology, 7, 97-109.
40. Kuhl, J. (1986). Motivation and information processing: A new look at decision making, dynamic change, and action control. In R. M. Sorrentino, & E. T. Higgins (Eds.), Handbook of motivation and cognition: Foundations of social behavior (pp. 404-434). New York: John Wiley.
41. Lang, P. J. (2000). Emotion and motivation: Attention, perception, and action. Journal of Sports and Exercise Psychology, 22, S122-S140.
42. Leventhal, H. (1970). Findings and theory in the study of fear communications. In L. Berkowitz (Ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology, (Vol. 5, pp. 119-186). New York: Academic Press.
43. Merz, J. (1983). A questionnaire for the measurement of psychological reactance [in German]. Diagnostica, 29, 75-82.
44. Nabi, R. L. (2002). Discrete emotions and persuasion. In J. P. Dillard, & M. Pfau (Eds.), The persuasion handbook: Developments in theory and practice (pp. 289-308). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
45. O'Keefe, D. J. (1997). Argumentative candor and persuasive success: A meta-analysis of the persuasive effects of implicit and explicit message conclusions. In J. F. Klumpp (Ed.), Argument in a time of change: Definitions, frameworks, and critiques (pp. 63-69). Annandale, VA: National Communication Association.
46. Petty, R. E., & Cacioppo, J. T. (1986). Communication and persuasion: Central and peripheral routes to attitude change. New York: Springer-Verlag.
47. Raftery, A. E. (1995). Bayesian model selection in social research. In P. V. Marsden (Ed.), Sociological methodology (pp. 111-163). Cambridge, UK: Basil Blackwell.
48. Ringold, D. J. (2002). Boomerang effect in response to public health interventions: Some unintended consequences in the alcoholic beverage market. Journal of Consumer Policy, 25, 27-63.
49. Rogers, R. W. (1983). Cognitive and physiological processes in fear appeals and attitude change: A revised theory of protection motivation. In J. Cacioppo, & R. Petty (Eds.), Social psychophysiology (pp. 153-176). New York: Guilford Press.
50. Schwarz, N., Frey, D., & Kumpf, M. (1980). Interactive effects of writing and reading a persuasive essay on attitude change and selective exposure. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 16, 1-17.
51. Seltzer, L. F. (1983). Influencing the "shape" of resistance: An experimental exploration of paradoxical directives and psychological reactance. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 4, 47-71.
52. Shaver, P., Schwartz, J., Kirson, D., & O'Connor, C. (1987). Emotion knowledge: Further explorations of a prototype approach. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52, 1061-1086.
53. Shen, L., & Dillard, J. P. (in press). Psychometric properties of the Hong Psychological Reactance Scale. Journal of Personality Assessment.
54. Smith, M. J. (1977). The effects of threats to attitudinal freedom as a function of message quality and initial receiver attitude. Communication Monographs, 44, 196-206.
55. Stephenson, M. T. (2003). Examining adolescents' responses to antimarijuana PSAs. Human Communication Research, 29, 343-369.
56. Stewart, D. W., & Martin, I. M. (1994). Intended and unintended consequences of warning messages: A review and synthesis of empirical research. Journal of Public Policy and Marketing, 13, 1-19.
57. Van Turennout, M., Hagoort, P., & Brown, C. M. (1998). Brain activity during speaking: From syntax to phonology in 40 milliseconds. Science, 280, 572-574.
58. Wall, A. -M., Hinson, R. E., & McKee, S. A. (1998). Alcohol outcome expectancies, attitudes toward drinking and the theory of planned behavior. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 59, 409-419.
59. Wallack, L. M. (1981). Mass media campaigns: The odds against finding behavior change. Health Education Quarterly, 8, 209-260.
60. White, G. L., & Zimbardo, P. G. (1980). The effects of threat of surveillance and actual surveillance on expressed opinion toward marijuana. Journal of Social Psychology, 111, 49-61.
61. Wicklund, R. A. (1974). Freedom and reactance. Potomac, MD: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
62. Wilde, G. J. S. (1993). Effects of mass media communications on health and safety habits: An overview of issues and evidence. Addiction, 88, 983-996.
63. Witte, K. (1994). Fear control and danger control: A test of the extended parallel process model (EPPM). Communication Monographs, 61, 113-134.
64. Worchel, S. (1974). The effect of three types of arbitrary thwarting on the instigation to aggression. Journal of Personality, 42, 300-318.
65. Worchel, S., & Andreoli, V. (1974). Attribution of causality as a means of restoring behavioral freedom. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 29, 237-245.
66. Worchel, S., Andreoli, V. A., & Archer, R. (1976). When is a favor a threat to freedom: The effects of attribution and importance of freedom on reciprocity. Journal of Personality, 44, 294-310.
67. Worchel, S., & Brehm, J. (1970). Effect of threats to attitudinal freedom as a function of agreement with the communicator. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 14, 18-22.