Health risk as a threat to freedom: Exploring the role of psychological reactance in reactions to West Nile Virus news coverage

Timothy K F Fung, Elliott Hillback

Research output: Contribution to conferenceConference paperpeer-review

Abstract

This experiment applies Psychological Reactance to understand people’s reactions to news about the risk of West Nile Virus. While manipulating gain/loss framing and risk likelihood presented as fractions or percentages, we also investigate the utility of trait uncertainty as a predictor and feelings of distress as an indicator of reactance. Results suggest Psychological Reactance may be useful in interpreting reactions to health risk news, and that trait uncertainty and state distress may enrich its conceptualization.
Original languageEnglish
Publication statusPublished - Aug 2009
EventAssociation for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) 2009 Annual Conference - Boston, United States
Duration: 5 Aug 20098 Aug 2009
http://www.aejmc.com/2011/03/2009-abstracts/

Conference

ConferenceAssociation for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) 2009 Annual Conference
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityBoston
Period5/08/098/08/09
Internet address

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