Because of the Effect the Role of Health Messages Ordering on Behavioral Change Intention

Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: https://link.springer.com/

Y

14

Behavior Change; Health Behavior; Feedback (Response); Public Health; Mass Media; Computer Mediated Communication; Intention; Comparative Analysis; Males; Adults; Cross Cultural Studies; Word Order; Social Cognition; Psycholinguistics; Language Usage; Communication Strategies; Foreign Countries

Italy; United Kingdom (England)

10.1007/s10936-022-09860-0

0090-6905

Health messages are central to the field of public health in influencing behavioral change, and previous research does not offer a univocal answer on the most effective ordering of health outcomes and (un)healthy behaviors within health communication. An archival study revealed that online mass-media communicators tend to mention behaviors first. This strategy was questioned in two experimental studies (N[subscript tot]=158) examining the impact of word order on behavioral intention. Specifically, by manipulating the mentioning order of health outcomes (i.e., "effect-first vs. effect-later") within a health message, results revealed a subtle role of word-order. English and Italian middle-aged men were more willing to change unhealthy habits after being exposed to a health-related message following the "effect-first" order rather than the "effect-later" order. Besides extending the comprehension of the role of word-order in socio-cognitive processes, our findings provide health communicators feedback about subtle linguistic strategies while dealing with health messages construction.

As Provided

2022

EJ1337930