The doctoral thesis summarised here describes a research project into the effects of fear appeals on the motivation to perform a recommended behaviour. A fear appeal is a persuasive communication that attempts to motivate people into safer behaviour by arousing fear. Fear is a common emotion in people that is characterised by unpleasant feelings and the urge to create a situation that is perceived as safe. As a motivator to action, fear could thus serve an important role in increasing the effectiveness of health campaigns. However, the effects of fear appeals on self-protective motivation and behaviour are unclear, which warranted the present research. The current thesis describes one theoretical and six empirical studies into the effects of fear-arousing information on precautionary motivation. (Author/publisher)
Samenvatting