Hooked on a feeling: Affective anti-smoking messages are more effective than cognitive messages at changing implicit evaluations of smoking

Because implicit evaluations are thought to underlie many aspects of behavior, researchers have started looking for ways to change them. We examine whether and when persuasive messages alter strongly-held implicit evaluations of smoking. In smokers, an affective anti-smoking message led to more nega...

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Main Authors: Colin Tucker Smith, Jan eDe Houwer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2015-10-01
Series:Frontiers in Psychology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01488/full
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author Colin Tucker Smith
Colin Tucker Smith
Jan eDe Houwer
author_facet Colin Tucker Smith
Colin Tucker Smith
Jan eDe Houwer
author_sort Colin Tucker Smith
collection DOAJ
description Because implicit evaluations are thought to underlie many aspects of behavior, researchers have started looking for ways to change them. We examine whether and when persuasive messages alter strongly-held implicit evaluations of smoking. In smokers, an affective anti-smoking message led to more negative implicit evaluations on four different implicit measures as compared to a cognitive anti-smoking message which seemed to backfire. Additional analyses suggested that the observed effects were mediated by the feelings and emotions raised by the messages. In non-smokers, both the affective and cognitive message engendered slightly more negative implicit evaluations. We conclude that persuasive messages change implicit evaluations in a way that depends on properties of the message and of the participant. Thus, our data open new avenues for research directed at tailoring persuasive messages to change implicit evaluations.
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spelling doaj.art-a59a6d4549e540489f0623cdbf5a808f2022-12-21T23:28:57ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782015-10-01610.3389/fpsyg.2015.01488154833Hooked on a feeling: Affective anti-smoking messages are more effective than cognitive messages at changing implicit evaluations of smokingColin Tucker Smith0Colin Tucker Smith1Jan eDe Houwer2University of FloridaGhent UniversityGhent UniversityBecause implicit evaluations are thought to underlie many aspects of behavior, researchers have started looking for ways to change them. We examine whether and when persuasive messages alter strongly-held implicit evaluations of smoking. In smokers, an affective anti-smoking message led to more negative implicit evaluations on four different implicit measures as compared to a cognitive anti-smoking message which seemed to backfire. Additional analyses suggested that the observed effects were mediated by the feelings and emotions raised by the messages. In non-smokers, both the affective and cognitive message engendered slightly more negative implicit evaluations. We conclude that persuasive messages change implicit evaluations in a way that depends on properties of the message and of the participant. Thus, our data open new avenues for research directed at tailoring persuasive messages to change implicit evaluations.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01488/fullAffectSmokingpersuasionsubstance useImplicit evaluations
spellingShingle Colin Tucker Smith
Colin Tucker Smith
Jan eDe Houwer
Hooked on a feeling: Affective anti-smoking messages are more effective than cognitive messages at changing implicit evaluations of smoking
Frontiers in Psychology
Affect
Smoking
persuasion
substance use
Implicit evaluations
title Hooked on a feeling: Affective anti-smoking messages are more effective than cognitive messages at changing implicit evaluations of smoking
title_full Hooked on a feeling: Affective anti-smoking messages are more effective than cognitive messages at changing implicit evaluations of smoking
title_fullStr Hooked on a feeling: Affective anti-smoking messages are more effective than cognitive messages at changing implicit evaluations of smoking
title_full_unstemmed Hooked on a feeling: Affective anti-smoking messages are more effective than cognitive messages at changing implicit evaluations of smoking
title_short Hooked on a feeling: Affective anti-smoking messages are more effective than cognitive messages at changing implicit evaluations of smoking
title_sort hooked on a feeling affective anti smoking messages are more effective than cognitive messages at changing implicit evaluations of smoking
topic Affect
Smoking
persuasion
substance use
Implicit evaluations
url http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01488/full
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