Persuading drivers to refrain from speeding: Effects of message sidedness and regulatory fit

• Published in: Accident analysis and prevention 2013-01, Vol.50, p.917-925
• Main Authors: Pierro, Antonio, Giacomantonio, Mauro, Pica, Gennaro, Giannini, Anna Maria, Kruglanski, Arie W., Higgins, E. Tory
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acceleration; Accident analysis; Adult; Advertising as Topic; Analysis of Variance; Assessments; Automobile Driving - psychology; Biological and medical sciences; Buildings; Construction; Female; Forensic engineering; Humans; Intention; Italy; Locomotion; Male; Medical sciences; Messages; Miscellaneous; Motivation; One-sided vs. two sided advertising; Orientation; Persuasive Communication; Prevention and actions; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Regulatory fit; Regulatory modes; Surveys and Questionnaires
• ISSN: 0001-4575; 1879-2057
• DOI: 10.1016/j.aap.2012.07.014

► Effectiveness of messages sidedness in changing intentions toward driving behavior was examined. ► Self-regulatory tendencies (locomotion and assessment) were also examined as moderator of messages sidedness. ► Two-sided ads were more effective than one-sided ads for participants high in assessment. ► Effectiveness was reflected in stronger engagement with the persuasive message and stronger intentions to reduce driving speed. ► There was also evidence that the fit effect on intentions to comply was mediated by strength of engagement with the message. Building on regulatory fit theory (Higgins, 2000, 2005), we tested whether two-sided ads were more effective than one-sided ads in changing intentions toward driving behavior when message recipients were high in assessment orientation rather than locomotion orientation. In one study either a locomotion or an assessment orientation were situationally induced (Study 1) and in another study these different orientations were chronic predispositions (Study 2). As predicted, both studies found that for participants high in assessment, two-sided ads were more effective than one-sided ads, as reflected in stronger engagement with the persuasive message and stronger intentions to reduce driving speed. In contrast, for participants high in locomotion, one-sided ads were more effective than two-sided ads. There was also evidence that the fit effect on intentions to comply was mediated by strength of engagement with the message. Implications for persuasion concerning driving behaviors are discussed.