Teens and the "Social Self": Ad-Elicited Neural Activity Associated With Perceived Effectiveness and Sharing Intention

• In Event: Rethinking Media/Communication Effects

Abstract

This study examined the neural processes associated with exposure to effective health messages and interpersonal communication about these messages. Thirty-eight adolescent nonsmokers viewed anti-smoking ads in an fMRI scanner. We used neural data from regions in hypothesized self-relevance and social cognition networks to predict subsequent ratings of perceived effectiveness and intention to share each ad. Neural activity in the self-relevance network did not predict perceived effectiveness or intention to share. By contrast, neural activity in several regions within the social cognition network (rTPJ, lTPJ, and DMPFC) was positively associated with perceived effectiveness, and activity in rTPJ was marginally associated with intention to share ads. Our findings highlight the central role of social cognition in adolescent information processing. We discuss the possibility that the mental processes responsive to effective and shareworthy messages are divergent in adolescents relative to adults, and may reflect the developmental differences that distinguish these two populations.

Authors

• Elissa Kranzler, University of Pennsylvania

• Ralf Schmaelzle, Michigan State U

• Matthew O'Donnell, U of Pennsylvania

• Rui Pei, U of Pennsylvania

• Emily Falk, U of Pennsylvania