Message Persuasiveness and Audience Selection: How Argument Strength Shapes Smokers’ Selective Exposure to Antismoking Messages

• In Event: Antismoking/Antidrinking: High Density Panel in Health Communication

Abstract

This study examined how argument strength drives what antismoking messages smokers choose to consume, and how smokers’ intention to quit shapes the persuasiveness-selection link. A nationally representative sample of U.S. adult smokers participated in a multiple-message experiment where they were shown three textual summaries of antismoking videos with varying levels of argument strength (one weak, one moderate, one strong) and chose the one they would be most likely to watch. Antismoking messages containing either strong or weak arguments invited more frequent selections than their moderate counterparts. Smoking cessation intention modulated the argument-strength effect, such that high intenders preferred strong-argument messages (accuracy-motivated selection), but low intenders favored weak-argument messages (defense-motivated selection). These findings were replicated in a secondary data analysis of a previously published study, suggesting that message-choice architecture featuring a sharp contrast of persuasiveness facilitates the role of smokers’ quitting intention as a separator of the accuracy and defense motivations.

Authors

• Hyun Suk Kim, University of Pennsylvania

• Sungkyoung Lee, U of Missouri

• Joseph N. Cappella, U of Pennsylvania