The effects of fear level and repetition of radio public service advertising promoting condom use among college students

With the numbers of diagnosed cases of AIDS and HIV (human immunodeficiency virus-type 1) increasing each year, public health officials have relied partially on public service announcements (PSAs) to create an awareness of the dangers of unprotected sex. Many of these PSAs have employed fear appeals to attempt a behavioral change.

This study examined the relationship among fear level and repetition of radio PSAs and beliefs about condom use within the framework of the Theory of Reasoned Action. Specifically, the present experiment attempted to ascertain at what level of repetition the low and high fear-inducing messages would reach. maximum effectiveness and cease to affect a change in the specific dependent variables set forth in the Theory of Reasoned Action.

Data were collected from 217 student subjects divided into eight repetition/fear level conditions using two professionally produced 30-second radio commercials (high fear/low fear). The commercials were embedded in normal radio programming and were distributed over two different sessions, one week apart. Data was analyzed using analysis of variance procedures to determine differences between groups.

Findings indicate that the Theory of Reasoned Action is a successful framework within which to study this behavior. The theory postulates that attitudes and subjective norm iv jointly influence behavioral intention with one or the other branch of the model dominating. This research suggests that the subjective norm portion of the model is a much stronger influence or predictor of behavioral intention. Findings regarding the appropriate combination of fear level and repetition were mixed. It appears, however, that for some of the dependent variables tested, lower fear levels at higher levels of repetition would be most effective.

The results have important implications for public health message producers and advertising planners. Messages may need to be repeated more often and may need to use lower levels of fear while employing elements of the subjective norm portion of the Theory of Reasoned Action.