Lisa M Quintiliani1, Elena T Carbone. 1. Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7461, USA. quinlisa@email.unc.edu
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine if participants reading messages matched to a preferred style of message argument respond more favorably than participants reading unmatched messages. DESIGN: Randomized trial using telephone and in-person surveys and cognitive response interviews. SETTING: University campus. PARTICIPANTS: Of 125 initially interested, a convenience sample of 100 university employees completed the study (female: 88%, white: 94%, mean age: 43.7). INTERVENTION(S): Participants read 2 print messages written with cognitive (COG) (fact based) or affective (AFF) (story based) arguments. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): 7-point Likert scale ratings of message appeal, understandability, persuasiveness, and relevance according to classification into 1 of 4 message groups: COG-AFF (mismatched to affective), AFF-COG (mismatched to cognitive), COG-COG (matched cognitive), and AFF-AFF (matched affective). ANALYSIS: 1-way analysis of variance (P < or = .05) and systematic review of qualitative interviews. RESULTS: The COG-AFF group consistently gave the lowest ratings to the affective messages and the AFF-COG group generally gave high scores compared with other message groups. Participants also expressed a desire for more factual information. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: A combination of cognitive and affective arguments may be appealing to subjects with an affective preference but disliked by individuals who prefer only a fact-based approach. Argument format may be an important message design consideration.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: To determine if participants reading messages matched to a preferred style of message argument respond more favorably than participants reading unmatched messages. DESIGN: Randomized trial using telephone and in-person surveys and cognitive response interviews. SETTING: University campus. PARTICIPANTS: Of 125 initially interested, a convenience sample of 100 university employees completed the study (female: 88%, white: 94%, mean age: 43.7). INTERVENTION(S): Participants read 2 print messages written with cognitive (COG) (fact based) or affective (AFF) (story based) arguments. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): 7-point Likert scale ratings of message appeal, understandability, persuasiveness, and relevance according to classification into 1 of 4 message groups: COG-AFF (mismatched to affective), AFF-COG (mismatched to cognitive), COG-COG (matched cognitive), and AFF-AFF (matched affective). ANALYSIS: 1-way analysis of variance (P < or = .05) and systematic review of qualitative interviews. RESULTS: The COG-AFF group consistently gave the lowest ratings to the affective messages and the AFF-COG group generally gave high scores compared with other message groups. Participants also expressed a desire for more factual information. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: A combination of cognitive and affective arguments may be appealing to subjects with an affective preference but disliked by individuals who prefer only a fact-based approach. Argument format may be an important message design consideration.
Authors: Pamela Williams-Piehota; Amy E Latimer; Nicole A Katulak; Ashley Cox; Stephanie A N Silvera; Linda Mowad; Peter Salovey Journal: J Nutr Educ Behav Date: 2009 Nov-Dec Impact factor: 3.045