Role and Impact of Involvement and Enhanced Threat in Resistance

A Meta-Analysis of Research on Inoculation Theory

“…Although threat has not been a frequently manipulated message variable in experiments of inoculation, scholars have suggested that greater message threat should facilitate more resistance by inducing more perceived threat in receivers. Recently, Pfau et al (2010) conducted an experiment examining the effects traditional and ''enhanced'' levels of threat on inoculation outcomes. Enhanced threat messages included wording which suggested greater seriousness, relevance, certainty, and immediacy of a potential counterattitudinal attack.…”

Effects of Postinoculation Talk on Resistance to Influence

“…Anger appears to boost resistance (Pfau et al, 2001), and inoculated participants tend to become angrier as the process of resistance continues (Pfau et al, 2009). Pfau et al (2010) suggest anger may play an even more important role in the process of resistance than the traditionally recognized mechanisms of threat and counterarguing. Considering the evidence that inoculation generates anger (e.g., Ivanov, Pfau, & Parker, 2009b; Pfau et al, 2001, 2009), we predict inoculated participants will experience higher levels of anger than those in the control group (H3).…”

“…doi:10.1111/j. 1460-2466.2012.01658.x From McGuire's (1961) original formulation of inoculation theory, to the most recent laboratory experiments (e.g., Pfau et al, 2010), and across a diversity of research contexts examining the theory's applications in applied settings such as politics (e.g., , health (e.g., Pfau, Van Bockern, & Kang, 1992), and commerce (e.g., Wan & Pfau, 2004), inoculation theory has repeatedly demonstrated its efficacy, perhaps justifying its claim to being ''the grandparent theory of resistance to attitude change'' (Eagly & Chaiken, 1993, p. 561). Compton and Pfau's (2005) narrative review and Banas and Rains' (2010) meta-analysis survey more than 50 years of scholarship in inoculation.…”

Boosting the Potency of Resistance: Combining the Motivational Forces of Inoculation and Psychological Reactance

“…This increase, in turn, should result in increased resistance, much the same way a successful fear appeal leads to danger control. However, with one exception (increased attitudinal certainty), their manipulations did not produce outcomes significantly different from traditional forewarnings (Pfau et al, 2010).…”

“…Following vested interest theory (Crano, 1995), Pfau et al (2010) attempted to enhance threat by altering a traditional forewarning to emphasize greater relevance, certainty, immediacy, and seriousness (stake) of potential persuasive pressures on current attitudes. They attempted to show that enhanced threat, when accompanied by the increased response efficacy provided by refutational preemption, should increase danger control processes (Witte, 1992).…”