| Autor: |
Lirtzman, Sidney I., Shuv-Ami, Avichai |
| Zdroj: |
Psychological Reports; June 1986, Vol. 58 Issue: 3 p707-718, 12p |
| Abstrakt: |
Fear-inducing communications about actual or potential safety hazards of products, are increasingly encountered. These emanate mainly from government agencies and reflect the belief that rational consumers will act to minimize potential risk. Research has shown that credibility of a message source is directly related to effectiveness and persuasion of one message. Although observers have assumed that use of government sources would maximize source credibility in the case of communications about products' safety hazards, recent analyses suggest that this may not be the case. The present research tests two hypotheses with respect to communications of hazard, that government agencies will not necessarily achieve the source with highest credibility among consumers, and that attitude change will be greater among consumers perceiving a source other than the government to be the most credible. Findings are repotted for three studies of different samples of consumers. One involved an experiment in which consumers were exposed to safety warnings supposedly issued by a government agency about a common product. Two involved surveys, the first in the wake of the Tylenol poisonings and the second in the context of industrial buying practices in industrial settings. Results support the hypotheses. Theoretical bases for such findings are offered, and implications for public policy ate discussed. |
| Databáze: |
Supplemental Index |
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