A study explored Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) in the context of news reports about a hazard. Content elements of outcome severity, vulnerability, and response efficacy were systematically varied in stories about a fabricated risk: fluorescent lighting lowering student academic performance. Research subjects were 206 students in an introductory journalism and mass communication class who received extra credit for their participation. Subjects received different versions of the fluorescent light story, and at the end of an experimental session they were debriefed as to the purpose of the story, apprised of the deception involved and informed that the hazards mentioned in the experiment did not exist. Results from this laboratory experiment suggest that information about the severity of consequences results in greater information seeking about a hazard. In addition, information about vulnerability, severity, and response efficacy jointly combined to produce higher levels of behavioral intention to take actions designed to avoid the hazard. Overall, results suggest--on both theoretical and practical grounds--that Protection Motivation Theory can and will continue to serve communication researchers as a vehicle for conducting fruitful research. (Contains 8 endnotes, 31 references, a figure, and 3 tables of data. Appendixes contain a summary of research results and summary statistics of variables used in analysis.) (Author/NKA)