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You Mad?: An Experimental Test of the Anger Activism Model

Sat, May 26, 12:30 to 13:45, Hilton Prague, Floor: LL, Vienna

Abstract

Despite anger’s motivational ability to inspire action, persuasion researchers have largely ignored anger appeals. The purpose of this experiment was to test Turner’s (2007) Anger Activism Model (AAM), which posits anger appeals can persuade pro-attitudinal audiences if the anger appeal is followed by an efficacy appeal. Participants (N = 551) were randomly assigned to read one of four messages about sugary drink marketing to kids, following a 2 (moral anger: high vs. low) X 2 (efficacy: high vs. low) design, or to a no-exposure control group. The anger-by-efficacy interactions did not emerge, but a high moral anger appeal (vs. low) promoted policy support among audiences with initially higher levels of policy support. Contrary to the AAM’s predictions, exposure to any message (vs. control) increased policy support among audiences with initially lower levels of policy support. These results call for continued theoretical and practical attention to messages designed to arouse anger.

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