Curbing Excessive Pornography Consumption Using Traditional and Religious Identity-Based EPPM

• In Event: Framing Effects in Health Communication

Abstract

Excessive consumption of Internet pornography often leads to negative effects on individuals’ sexual health, mental health, and marital satisfaction. This study tests fear appeal messages intended to limit males’ consumption of pornography by exploring: (a) the effectiveness of the Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM) in curbing excessive pornography consumption, and (b) the potential of social identity as an alternative to health threat when using EPPM. Participants were randomly assigned to receive two different messages: (a) a health EPPM message and (b) a religious identity-based EPPM message. The results suggested that social identity correlates with perceived fear in processing EPPM message. Among participants who received traditional EPPM messages, perceived efficacy, but not perceived threat, correlated with behavioral intention, whereas among those who received the religion EPPM message, both perceived fear and efficacy correlated with behavioral intention.

Authors

• Krishnamurti Murniadi, Kent State U

• Nichole Egbert, Kent State U