The processing of fear-arousing communications: How biased processing leads to persuasion

Two experiments were conducted to examine the processing of fear‐arousing communications, and tested predictions derived from the stage model of processing of fear‐arousing communications. The studies focused on the impact of manipulations of vulnerability to and severity of a health risk on the processing of both the fear appeal and the subsequent action recommendation, and assessed how message processing relates to attitudes, intentions, and behavior. Results confirmed predictions that vulnerability to a severe health risk induces defense motivation, which is reflected in a negative processing bias in threat appraisal and a positive processing bias in coping appraisal, which in combination promotes persuasion. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.