UNCERTAINTY ORIENTATION AND PROTECTION MOTIVATION THEORY - THE ROLE OF INDIVIDUAL-DIFFERENCES IN HEALTH COMPLIANCE

The experiment was designed to determine the influence of uncertainty orientation (R. M. Sorrentino, J. C. Short, 1986) on compliance with a diagnostic health behavior. Ss (N = 155) read 1 version of an education essay on a disease and diagnostic response. Threat and efficacy information were manipulated. Consistent with protection motivation theory (R. W. Rogers, 1983), uncertainty-oriented Ss sought more health-related information as threat and efficacy increased. Certainty-oriented Ss, however, sought more health-related information as threat or efficacy, but not both, increased. Individual differences were also found on adaptive measures and ineffective alternative responses.