Rethinking the Inoculation Analogy

Effects on Subjects With Differing Preexisting Attitudes

Bibliographic Data

ID2270044
AuthorsMichelle L M Wood (University of Minnesota, corresponding author)
Year2007
Volume33
Issue3
Pages357-378
Publication date2007-07-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueHuman Communication Research (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0360-3989 • E-ISSN: 1468-2958
PublisherOxford University Press (OUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1111/j.1468-2958.2007.00303.x
OpenAlexW2023226414
LanguageEN
Citations received34
References cited37

Inoculation messages employed in past studies have been consistently preventative. Yet, if inoculation strategies are to be used in mass media campaigns, researchers need to know what the effects will be on all audience members—not just those known to support a message sponsor's position. A 3-phase experiment was conducted involving 558 participants. Linear regression analyses identified that initially supportive, neutral, and opposed subjects exposed to the inoculation message reported significantly more positive attitudes toward the study topic of agricultural biotechnology following an attack message than did their respective controls. The inoculation message contributed to significantly increased threat levels among initially neutral and opposed subjects and marginally increased counterarguing output among initially supportive and neutral subjects. Additionally, counterarguing partially mediated final attitudes for inoculated supportive subjects

Analogy · Inoculation · Media Influence and Health · Medicine · Misinformation and Its Impacts · Psychology · Social Media and Politics · Social Psychology · Immunology