“It’s Global Warming, Stupid”: Aggressive Communication Styles and Political Ideology in Science Blog Debates About Climate Change

2020 ◽  
Vol 97 (4) ◽  
pp. 1003-1025
Author(s):  
Shupei Yuan ◽  
Hang Lu
Keyword(s):  
Political Ideology ◽  
Behavioral Intentions ◽  
Psychological Reactance ◽  
Communication Styles ◽  
Expectancy Violation ◽  
Important Mediator ◽  
Aggressive Communication ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
Violation Of Expectation ◽  
Moderating Role

The current study examined the effects of aggressive communication styles on individuals’ pro-environmental behavioral intentions. Two underlying mechanisms—psychological reactance and expectancy violation—as well as the moderating role played by political ideology were investigated. An online experiment ( N = 423) was conducted and the results showed that more aggressive style was more likely to trigger psychological reactance and violation of expectation, liberals responded more negatively to the aggressive message than conservatives, and expectancy violation was an important mediator. The findings provide explanations for how communication styles affect individuals’ information processing and offer implications regarding selecting communication styles wisely.

scholarly journals Call them COVIDiots: Exploring the effects of aggressive communication style and psychological distance in the communication of COVID-19

2021 ◽  
pp. 096366252198919
Author(s):  
Haoran Chu ◽  
Shupei Yuan ◽  
Sixiao Liu
Keyword(s):  
Social Norm ◽  
Distance Perception ◽  
Negative Influence ◽  
Public Understanding ◽  
Communication Style ◽  
Communication Styles ◽  
Positive Outcomes ◽  
The Public ◽  
Aggressive Communication ◽  
Close Distance

This study examined the influences of perceived distance to communicator on the effects of aggressive style (i.e. personal attacks and intense languages) in communicating scientific issues such as COVID-19 to the public. With a multi-site experiment ( N = 464), we found that aggression led to a heightened violation of expected social norm regarding communication styles. However, the interpretation of violation varied depending on the individual’s perceived distance to the communicator. Close distance articulated the urgency and severity of COVID-19 risks conveyed with aggression, which further increased compliance with the message. Far distance perception amplified aggression’s negative influence on writer likeability. The findings showed that aggressive communication may generate positive outcomes when dealing with public understanding of scientific issues such as COVID-19, but communicators need to build a closer connection with their audience.

Source Effects on Psychological Reactance to Regulatory Policies: The Role of Trust and Similarity

2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (5) ◽  
pp. 591-620 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hwanseok Song ◽  
Katherine A. McComas ◽  
Krysten L. Schuler
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Indirect Effect ◽  
Behavioral Intentions ◽  
Psychological Reactance ◽  
Source Effects ◽  
Regulatory Policies ◽  
Message Source ◽  
Different Sources

Efforts to communicate risk reduction policies must consider how target audiences will respond to the source of the message. This study investigates how modifying the message source enhances or diminishes psychological reactance against a policy designed to curb a wildlife disease. In an experimental study, we attributed a press release announcing this policy to different sources. We found that the source had an indirect effect on reactance, which subsequently affected attitudes toward the policy and behavioral intentions. Specifically, the more similar and trustworthy participants perceived the source, the less likely the source was to induce freedom threat or reactance.

Servicescape, positive affect, satisfaction and behavioral intentions: The moderating role of familiarity

2019 ◽  
Vol 78 ◽  
pp. 102-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeong-Yeol Park ◽  
Robin M. Back ◽  
Diego Bufquin ◽  
Valeriya Shapoval
Keyword(s):  
Positive Affect ◽  
Behavioral Intentions ◽  
Moderating Role

If Childish Gambino Cares, I Care: Celebrity Endorsements and Psychological Reactance to Social Marketing Messages

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 80-92
Author(s):  
Stephanie Schartel Dunn ◽  
Gwendelyn Nisbett
Keyword(s):  
Behavior Change ◽  
Social Marketing ◽  
Behavioral Intentions ◽  
Source Credibility ◽  
Psychological Reactance ◽  
Heuristic Evaluation ◽  
Persuasive Messages ◽  
Message Source ◽  
Positive Message ◽  
The Impact

Background: Increasingly, celebrities are used as spokespeople for nearly all types of marketing. Endorsements can build positive celebrity-brand associations, resulting in favorable brand, product, or issue knowledge. Focus of the Article: This project examines the impact of celebrity influence in social marketing campaigns. Source and receiver characteristics are used to explore how people react to such persuasive messages from celebrities and how those reactions influence behavior. Research Question: Do race (RQ1) and gender (RQ2) of celebrity influence perceptions of (a) credibility, (b) similarity, and (c) heuristic evaluation? How do these factors influence message evaluation (RQ3)? Perceptions of (a) source credibility and (b) similarity as well as (c) heuristic evaluations will increase positive message evaluations (H1). Such positive message evaluations will increase behavioral intentions (H4). Level of (a) perceived source credibility, (b) perceived similarity, and (c) heuristic evaluation of a message is negatively related to message reactance (H2). The level of psychological reactance to a message source is negatively related to behavioral intent related to the message topic (H3). Importance to the Social Marketing Field: The objective of this study is to better understand how characteristics of celebrities, perceptions of the celebrities, and psychological barriers impact intended behavior change attributed to a social marketing message. Because social marketing seeks behavior change as part of an exchange with the targeted audiences, this study contributes a basic understanding of how attributes of the speaker impact social marketing effectiveness. Methods: An experiment was conducted ( N = 798) comparing how persuasive messages from celebrities of different genders and races are perceived. Results: Results indicate that there are significant differences in how persuasive messages from female celebrities are received as compared to messages from male celebrities. Further, race was shown to play a role in feelings of psychological reactance in response to the persuasive messages. Recommendations for Research of Practice: Results suggests marketers should seek out celebrity spokespeople who have the ability to be well-liked by members of the targeted market. The desire to identify with the message source can be a significant enough benefit to inspire behavior change. Having a spokesperson the audience wants to align themselves with is positively correlated with behavioral intentions.

scholarly journals Stay away or stay together? Social contagion, common identity, and bystanders’ interventions in homophobic bullying episodes

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 127-139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raquel António ◽  
Rita Guerra ◽  
Carla Moleiro
Keyword(s):  
Gay Men ◽  
Behavioral Intentions ◽  
Social Contagion ◽  
Group Representations ◽  
Negative Attitudes ◽  
Dual Identity ◽  
Homophobic Bullying ◽  
Common Identity ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
Victims Of Bullying

Two studies explored the link between social contagion concerns and assertive bystanders’ behavioral intentions in homophobic bullying episodes. Study 1 ( N = 216) examined if adolescents’ social contagion concerns (i.e., fear of being misclassified as gay/lesbian) relate to decreased behavioral intentions to help victims of bullying, by increasing negative attitudes towards lesbians and gay men. Study 2 ( N = 230) further explored if inclusive identity representations (i.e., one-group or dual-identity) were related to decreased concerns of social contagion, thereby increasing adolescents’ assertive behavioral intentions. Results (partially) confirmed both expected mediations: social contagion concerns were associated with decreased assertive behavioral intentions via increased negative attitudes towards lesbians and gay men (Study 1); one-group representations, but not dual-identity representations, were associated with more assertive behavioral intentions via decreased social contagion concerns (Study 2). These findings extended previous studies illustrating the underlying mechanisms through which social contagion concerns and common identity affect assertive bystanders’ behavioral intentions.

Assessing an organizational crisis at the construal level: how psychological distance impacts publics' crisis responses

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 319-337
Author(s):  
Sungsu Kim ◽  
Yan Jin ◽  
Bryan H. Reber
Keyword(s):  
Behavioral Intentions ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Organizational Crisis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Explorative Study ◽  
Distance Model ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
Crisis Responses

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to elaborate on the notion of crisis distance and to investigate its influence on publics' crisis responses (i.e. crisis severity, crisis emotions, organizational reputation and supportive behavioral intentions). In addition, this study aims to unearth the underlying mechanisms behind the effects of crisis distance.Design/methodology/approachThis study conducted an online survey by recruiting a representative US sample to examine the proposed research questions.FindingsThis paper offers empirical evidence that each dimension of crisis distance (i.e. temporal, social and hypothetical crisis distance) is associated with publics' crisis responses. Furthermore, by investigating distance-crisis-organizational sequence models, the ways in which crisis distance ultimately motivates publics' supportive behavioral intentions was revealed.Originality/valueAs an explorative study to propose a crisis distance model, the current research provides a springboard for expanding the existing scholarly literature on the nature of crisis.

An Integrated Review of Recent Research on the Relationships Between Religious Belief, Political Ideology, Authoritarianism, and Prejudice

2020 ◽  
pp. 003329412092539
Author(s):  
Joshua A. Cuevas ◽  
Bryan L. Dawson
Keyword(s):  
Social Identity Theory ◽  
Political Ideology ◽  
The United States ◽  
Conflict Theory ◽  
Right Wing ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Political Beliefs ◽  
Realistic Group Conflict Theory ◽  
Group Conflict Theory ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms

Religious ideology and extremism have had an increasing influence on political agendas in the United States and much of the developed world in the past 60 years, with right-wing ideology becoming more prevalent this decade. This article serves as a review of studies investigating the correlations between political ideology, religiosity, right-wing authoritarianism, ingroups/outgroups, and prejudice in an attempt to describe and understand the well-established links between these dimensions. We discuss several group-level theories including Terror Management Theory, Social Identity Theory, Realistic Group Conflict Theory among others to frame the intercorrelations of these constructs in an effort to better understand the underlying mechanisms that drive individuals to embody religious and political beliefs. We then discuss individual-level cognitive and psychological differences such as intelligence, cognitive flexibility, and specific biological and neurological limitations of brain function that may influence people to adopt certain religious and political beliefs. Through a more comprehensive understanding of the underlying mechanisms of religious and political extremism, we may be better equipped to assuage the fear and denigration that is associated with many of these beliefs.

Looking at you: celebrity direct eye gaze influences social media post effectiveness

2020 ◽  
Vol 54 (12) ◽  
pp. 3051-3076
Author(s):  
Jasmina Ilicic ◽  
Stacey M. Brennan
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Public Relations ◽  
Behavioral Intentions ◽  
Eye Gaze ◽  
Brand Relationships ◽  
Verbal Cues ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Moderating Role ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to introduce and examine the effect of a celebrity’s eye gaze on self-celebrity connection. A celebrity’s direct (vs averted) eye gaze can be used as a tactic in social media posts to increase self-celebrity connection and behavioral intentions. Examining the effectiveness of a celebrity’s eye gaze is important, as celebrities regularly use social media to manage their brand image and to build a relationship with consumers. Design/methodology/approach Study 1 examines the effect of a celebrity’s eye gaze (direct vs averted) on self-celebrity connection. Study 2 investigates the role of celebrity authenticity in explaining the effect of a celebrity’s eye gaze on consumer–celebrity brand relationships. Study 3 examines the moderating role of a non-Duchenne smile (fake, social smile) in diluting the effect of a celebrity’s direct eye gaze on self-celebrity connection and the downstream consequences on behavioral intentions. Findings The findings from Study 1 indicate that a celebrity’s direct (averted) eye gaze strengthens (weakens) self-celebrity connection. Study 2 provides evidence of celebrity authenticity as the explanation for stronger consumer–celebrity connection when a celebrity is featured with a direct eye gaze. The results of Study 3 show that a fake smile in a celebrity’s social media posts can weaken relationships with and behavioral intentions toward celebrities with a direct eye gaze. Research limitations/implications This paper is limited, as it focuses only on eye gaze and smiles as non-verbal cues depicted in celebrity images on social media. Practical implications This paper has important implications for celebrities, celebrity brand managers (including digital/social media marketing managers and public relations professionals) and advertisers. Celebrities, celebrity brand managers and advertisers should develop social media posts that can strengthen consumer–celebrity relationships and positively influence behaviors toward the celebrity through: 1) ensuring that photographs are taken with the celebrity looking directly into the camera at the target (audience); and 2) avoiding posting images of a celebrity’s direct eye gaze with a non-Duchenne (fake) smile. Originality/value This paper introduces and provides evidence of a celebrity’s direct eye gaze–self-celebrity relationship effect. Tactics, such as eye gaze, can strengthen consumer–celebrity relationships, which is crucial in building brand equity and in increasing financial value for the celebrity.

Who Reveals, Who Conceals?: Candidate Gender and Policy Transparency

2019 ◽  
Vol 73 (2) ◽  
pp. 396-408
Author(s):  
David Niven ◽  
Alexis Straka ◽  
Anwar Mhajne
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Political Ideology ◽  
Communication Strategies ◽  
The United States ◽  
Communication Styles ◽  
Political Ambition ◽  
Women Candidates ◽  
Theoretical Relationship ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Do So

Do women candidates in the United States more openly provide the specific details of their policy preferences and make clear their political ideology? Previous research supports all manner of conflicting expectations regarding gender and campaign communication strategies. Here, with an eye toward offering evidence on the degree to which candidates make clear their issue positions, we consider how more than 1,300 candidates running in the 2016 elections from fifteen randomly chosen states answered voter guide questions. We do so both to better understand the murky theoretical relationship between gender and communication styles and to offer insight into the practical realities of how women run for office. Ultimately our findings support the notion that women run for office differently, offering less transparency of their issue positions than men. The implication, consistent with a theory of conditional political ambition, is that women weigh more seriously the decision to run for office and, thus, run more sophisticated campaigns when they do pursue office.

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