Graduation Year

2016

Document Type

Open Access Senior Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Psychology

Reader 1

Michael Spezio

Reader 2

Jennifer Ma

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Rights Information

© 2016 Kelley Ogami

Abstract

The process of persuasion, the changing of a person’s attitudes, has often been applied to health communications designed to promote healthy behavior. Manipulation of aspects of the persuasive message can influence persuasion and the likelihood of attitude change. For a long time, the existing persuasion research had yet to examine how different types of message framing and intervention targets directly and in interaction with one another act as predictors of health attitude change. Therefore, this thesis addressed this lapse using an online survey to assess participants’ attitude towards the health issue of hypertension after reading a health message. This health message was manipulated in how it framed the problems of high blood pressure and how it prescribed changes in behavior to have healthy blood pressure levels. It was hypothesized that negative message framing, the interrogative verb mood and a facilitation target would have greater influence over attitude and behavioral intention compared to their alternatives. The same pattern of results was expected for elaboration save for the hypothesis that an inhibition intervention target would result in greater elaboration than a facilitation target. This thesis may further the field of psychology’s understanding of persuasion as well as help create a better informed and healthier society.

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