ERIC Number: EJ928298
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2011-Jul
Pages: 29
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0360-3989
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Attributions of Responsibility for Obesity: Narrative Communication Reduces Reactive Counterarguing among Liberals
Niederdeppe, Jeff; Shapiro, Michael A.; Porticella, Norman
Human Communication Research, v37 n3 p295-323 Jul 2011
Informed by theory and research on attributions and narrative persuasion, we compared the effectiveness of narrative and nonnarrative messages in changing attributions of responsibility for causes and solutions related to obesity in the United States. We randomly assigned 500 adults to view one of three messages (narrative, evidence, and a hybrid of the two) emphasizing environmental causes of obesity, or a no-exposure control condition. The narrative condition increased the belief that societal actors (government, employers) are responsible for addressing obesity, but only among liberals. This pattern of results was partially explained by the success of the narrative condition in reducing reactive counterarguing, relative to the evidence condition, among liberals. We conclude with theoretical and practical implications.
Descriptors: Attribution Theory, Obesity, Responsibility, Public Officials, Communication (Thought Transfer), Differences, Political Attitudes, Communication Research, Persuasive Discourse
Wiley-Blackwell. 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148. Tel: 800-835-6770; Tel: 781-388-8598; Fax: 781-388-8232; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2429/WileyCDA/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Adult Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: United States
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A