EXPECTATIONS OF REASSURANCE INFLUENCE THE NATURE OF FEAR-STIMULATED ATTITUDE-CHANGE

A study was conducted to examine fear as a determinant of the extent of processing of the arguments presented in an involving persuasive communication. Under baseline (low fear) conditions, subjects differentiated between strong and weak argument quality messages. Under moderate fear conditions, however, the effect of fear on argument processing was dependent on subjects' expectations of the reassurance that would be provided by the message. When subjects' expectations about the efficacy of the solution to be presented in the message were clearly positive, subjects evaluated the solution favorably and equivalently, whether it was supported by strong or weak arguments. When expectations were unclear, however, subjects evaluated the solution based on the quality of the arguments in the message. These results held whether the induced fear was relevant or irrelevant to the topic of the persuasive communication. © 1992.