Self-affirmation increases defensiveness toward health risk information among those experiencing negative emotions: Results from two national samples.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Self-affirmation can promote health behavior change and yield long-term improvements in health via its effect on receptiveness to risk information in behavior change interventions. Across 2 studies, we examined whether the emotional state of the person presented with health risk information moderates self-affirmation effectiveness.

Method

Data were collected from 2 U.S. national samples (n = 652, n = 448) via GfK, an Internet-based survey company. Female alcohol consumers completed an emotion induction (fear, anger, or neutral). They then completed a standard self-affirmation (or no-affirmation) essay-writing task, and subsequently received a health message linking alcohol to breast cancer.

Results

There was a significant interaction between emotion and self

SUBMITTER: Ferrer RA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5400361 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature