Thesis (MComm)--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Fear appeals are commonly used in the advertising of social issues, such as
drunken driving. In general, researchers believe that there is a positive
relationship between fear and persuasion (to adapt misbehaviour). However,
there are disputes amongst fear appeal researchers about the level of fear
appeal to be used. Fear appeals, like other advertising appeals employed in
advertising, is dependant on the traits of the target audience. The effect of
fear appeals differ for different target audiences as different people fear
different matters.
This study tests one of the contemporary models on the working of fear
appeals, namely activation theory. Young adults are the target audience of
social marketing in South Africa for anti-alcohol abuse issues, such as
drunken driving. The effect of fear appeals on the target audience has never
been empirically investigated in South Africa although social marketers often
employ fear appeals to bring about a change in behaviour.
The responses of a sample of young adults in South Africa were tested by
means of a quasi-experimental design based on Thayer’s activation
deactivation checklist as implemented by previous fear appeal researchers.
Three television advertisements that depict three levels of fear appeal (low,
medium and high) were presented to three sample groups.
Significant differences in the responses of the level of fear appeal were
observed after statistical analyses in terms of tension arousal, energy arousal,
attitude towards the advertisement and intention to engage in drunken driving.
A difference in how genders react to fear appeals was also found. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die gebruik van vreesaanslae in die advertering van sosiale kwessies soos
dronkbestuur is algemeen. Alhoewel navorsers glo dat ’n positiewe
verhouding bestaan tussen vrees en oorreding (van ’n persoon om sy gedrag
aan te pas), heers daar verskille oor die sterkte van die vreesaanslag wat
gebruik moet word. Daar is bevind dat vreesaanslae, net soos ander aanslae
wat deur die advertensiewese gebruik word, afhanklik is van die teikengehoor.
Vreesaanslae se effek verskil, aangesien verskillende mense en gehore
verskillende sake vrees.
Hierdie studie toets een van die kontemporêre modelle van die werking van
vreesaanslae. Jong volwassenes is die teikengehoor in die sosiale bemarking
van anti-alkoholmisbruik kwessies soos dronkbestuur. Alhoewel sosiale
bemarkers dikwels vrees aanwend om hierdie teiken gehoor se gedrag te
verander, is dit nog nooit empiries in Suid-Afrika getoets nie.
Die reaksies van ’n steekproef uit dié teikengehoor is getoets deur ‘n kwasieksperimentele
ontwerp geskoei op Thayer se “aktivering deaktivering”
kontrolelys, soos geïmplementeer deur vorige navorsing in vreesaanslae.
Drie televisie advertensies wat drie vlakke van vrees (laag, medium en hoog)
verteenwoordig is, aan drie eksperimentele steekproefgroepe getoon.
Betekenisvolle verskille in die reaksie van die drie groepe is waargeneem ná
statistiese ontledings. ’n Verskil in hoe geslagte reageer op vreesaanslae, is
ook bevind.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/21609 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | De Villiers, Elizabeth Nicolette |
| Contributors | Smit, Marlize, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Dept. of Business Management. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 283 leaves : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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