Keywords
Health Communication, Reactance Theory, Cognitive Dissonance
Description
This research examines the potential interaction between cognitive dissonance and psychological reactance in response to persuasive messaging. Using a fictional COVID-19 vaccine mandate at a university as a quasi-experimental context, a 2 (attitude position: Pro-policy, Anti-policy) x 3 (dissonance promoted: generic, self-directed, other-directed) design was used to assess the interplay between both motivational drivers. Our results indicate that cognitive dissonance moderated the relationship of induced threat on psychological reactance for individuals with existing anti-mandate attitudes and provide support for Dillard and Shen’s measurement of psychological reactance, as well as core tenets of the theory.
Data Source
Data collected from students at UCF.
Abstract
This research examines the potential interaction between cognitive dissonance and psychological reactance in response to persuasive messaging. Using a fictional COVID-19 vaccine mandate at a university as a quasi-experimental context, a 2 (attitude position: Pro-policy, Anti-policy) x 3 (dissonance promoted: generic, self-directed, other-directed) design was used to assess the interplay between both motivational drivers. Our results indicate that cognitive dissonance moderated the relationship of induced threat on psychological reactance for individuals with existing anti-mandate attitudes and provide support for Dillard and Shen’s measurement of psychological reactance, as well as core tenets of the theory.
Date Created
2023
Release Date
12-31-2024
Document Type
Data
Language
English
College
science
Department
Nicholson School of Communication
Recommended Citation
Weger Jr., Harry; Clayton, Robert; and Miller, Ann, "An investigation of the moderating effect of cognitive dissonance on psychological reactance in the context of COVID vaccine mandates" (2023). Research Data and Datasets. 6.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/datasets/6