Lecture 9
Non-intentional
Unconscious processing
Freud: Popularized the notion that much of our mental life takes place without our awareness
The structure of our cognitive and affective systems do not give us access to many processes
We are often unable to monitor and control their execution
Many processes are automatic in some regards but controllable in others (e.g., driving)
Automatic processes
No awareness No intention High efficiency--require little
effort Uncontrollable
Smells like clean spirit
Experiment Holland, Hendriks & Aarts (2007)
One group of people ‘unobtrusively’ exposed to citrus-scented all-purpose cleaner
Consequence?
Smells like clean spirit: Results
Mental accessibility of the behavior concept of ‘cleaning’ was enhanced
Smells like clean spirit: Results
People kept their direct environment more clean
Environments that activate norms
Experiment Joly, Stapel & Lindenberg (2008) People who were exposed to a picture of someone working at a library or sitting in a restaurant were more likely to conform to norms that apply to these environments (i.e. silence and table manners)
Objects that activate norms?
Gloves that activate hygiene norms?
In short …
Studies like that of Holland et al. (2007) and Joly et al. (2008) undermine the notion that our conscious selves are in control, and points instead to a ‘sophisticated non-conscious mind, wide open to outside influences, as the real source of our decision making’ (Jarret, 2008, p. 294)
So? People are no computers We do not process all relevant health
information rationally We do not always arrive at informed
decisions about how to behave in the best interest of our health
We often use ‘cognitive shortcuts’ (see Cialdini et al., 2005) to decide what to do.
Understanding these shortcuts can provide tools to enhance effectiveness of health communication
3 basic motives & 6 categories of
shortcuts1. Authority
2. Social proof
3. Scarcity
4. Liking
5. Reciprocity
6. Consistency
1. We want to behave effectively; want to make the ‘right’ choices
2. We want to build and maintain positive social relationships
3. We try to manage the way we feel about ourselves
Authority
Role models?
Social proof: Descriptive norm
Liking•Don’t drink!•Don’t drink!
•Don’t drink!•Don’t drink!
Liking: Entertainment Education•Don’t drink!•Don’t drink!
Consistency: ‘health contract’
Managing our self-concept
So
Health communication is likely to be more effective at fostering positive behavior change when integrating these principles.
However these principles are not an alternative to providing people with substantive health information
EE: Narrative versus statistics Statistical information produces more
systematic processing, whereas narrative stimulates affective responses that serve as heuristic cues
When engaged (is not involvement in topic!) counterarguing is inhibited.
Concept of issue involvement in ELM is replaced with the concept of absorption/transportation within the context of entertainment narrative
‘Simplemente Maria’ Soap in Peru (1969) about a poor girl with
‘Singer’ sewing machine, who becomes fashion designer
Increases the sale of Singer machines (increase profit of 20 m. dollar)
Inspired Miguel Sabido to make Mexican soaps especially to promote behavior ‘Ven conmigo’ to decrease illiteracy (increase
of adult education with 63%) Another soap for awareness about birth control
(increase of 500.000 Mexican people visiting clinics for contraceptives) •Source: Aarts & van Woerkum, 2008•Source: Aarts & van Woerkum, 2008
Transportation-Imagery Model In effective EE an individual is ‘transported’
into narrative world. This is persuasive because:
Absorption leads to less counterarguing and more acceptance of story propositions
Makes story seems like actual experience, as such facilitate observational learning
High identification with or strong emotions for characters of the narrative, making their perspective have greater influence on the beliefs of the reader/listener/viewer as well as social norms
Alcohol education message
11 short movies about adolescents and alcohol/drugs Gesloopt Wie is de lul Ernesto Simon says Rot
Institutes involved
What and why?
Alcohol and use of drugs increasing problem Dutch youth
Young people do not believe in explicit adverts and/or health communication
‘Roes’: Entertainment - Education (E&E) ‘innovative’ means in the battle against alcohol and use of drugs among young people?
New insights health communication
‘From the point of view of E&E, an entertainment experience can serve as a ‘door-opener’ to process information’ (Ritterfeld & Jin, 2006, p. 249)
‘Dual process’ theories
If we want to change people’s behavior we not only have to focus on their cognitions (what they think) but also on their affect (what they feel)
Primary affective responses ‘trigger’ cognitive processing.
Simply stated
Quantitative ‘panel’ study
Qualitative ‘focus group’ study
Conclusions in short Participants were positive about Roes Especially humor (Simon says) was appreciated. Participants expected that with gruesome,
extreme and shocking scenes effect would increase
Recognition was high, however identification was low (participants knew ‘others’ like the main characters).
Counter-arguing seemed less with funny episodes. Significant effect on Subjective Norm …
In general
It is important when promoting healthy behavior to use strategies and interventions that take as much as possible the perspective and actions of the target group themselves into account in order to relate and connect to them as much as possible instead of just communicating (scientific) knowledge and injunctive norms.