Peakedness in Fear Trajectory
Mechanisms of How Gender-Specific Messages Persuade Through the Dynamic Change of Fear
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21616648 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Rui Gu (0000-0003-3120-6290, Nanyang Technological University, corresponding author), Hye Kyung Kim (0000-0003-0870-147X, Nanyang Technological University) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 41 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 651-662 |
| Publication date | 2026-03-21 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Health Communication (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1041-0236 • E-ISSN: 1532-7027 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/10410236.2025.2524751 |
| PMID | 40607517 |
| OpenAlex | W4412007976 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 59 |
The drive model posits that persuasion necessitates a rise and fall in fear, resembling an inverted-U shape trajectory. However, the determinants of various fear trajectory shapes and their differential effects on persuasion remain elusive. This study examined gender-specific graphic warning labels using a mixed-design experiment with smokers (N = 264) to test the effects of message targeting (matched vs. mismatched) and audience characteristic (female vs. male). Results indicated that matched messages led to sharper fear trajectories and higher anti-smoking intentions. Female smokers showed greater fear fluctuations (higher peakedness) than males, though this did not consistently translate to differences in persuasion. This research advances the drive model by exploring factors that influence fear trajectory peakedness and its role in effective persuasion
Cognitive psychology · Developmental psychology · Fear appeal · Behavioral Health and Interventions · Media Influence and Health · Psychological and Temporal Perspectives Research · Psychology · Social Psychology
Findings and Theory in the Study of Fear Communications
Tailored and Targeted Health Communication
Using emotion in risk communication
G*Power 3
Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM)
Power analysis and determination of sample size for covariance structure modeling.
Structural Equation Models with Unobservable Variables and Measurement Error
Communication and persuasion
Latent Curve Models
Quantifying Emotional Flow
Visual Tailoring and Skin Cancer Prevention
How Gender-Targeted Body Image Concerns Influence People’s Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Consumption
Scaring the Already Scared
Advancing Tailored Health Communication
Targeted Versus Nontargeted Communication About Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems in Three Smoker Groups
Emotion and motivation II
Negative affect, message reactance and perceived risk
Cigarette Smoking and Fear of Death
Message Properties, Mediating States, and Manipulation Checks
Threat appeals and persuasion
Fear control and danger control
Sex, sex roles, and response styles for negative affect
Fear appeals and attitude change
Sex Differences in Emotionality
The Influence of Message Framing on Intentions to Perform Health Behaviors
Gender differences in negative affect and well-being
Sex differences in unipolar depression
Effects of fear-arousing communications
Threat Appeals as Multi-Emotion Messages
Statistical Methods for Comparing Regression Coefficients Between Models
| Highly cited | No |
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