Effects of news about genetics and obesity on controllability attribution and helping behavior.

This study tested the effects of news stories that offer gene-based explanations of obesity compared to behavior-based and complex (combining genetic and behavioral) explanations on Korean undergraduate students. Controllability attribution and willingness to help obese people were expected as outcomes of the 3 different news types based on attribution theory. The study results indicate significant interactions between news types and audiences' predispositions (i.e., health control beliefs) on the outcome measures. Genetic explanations of obesity, compared to behavioral explanations, tend to decrease the public's perceived controllability of obesity, yet increase their willingness to help obese people. These effects were particularly strong for people who had lower prior health control beliefs. The theoretical and practical implications of the study are further discussed.