Effective messages: An integration of risk communication and risk priming on health information use and effects

People are continuously exposed to risk information from public health organizations, such as information about cancer risk and obesity risk. Research has demonstrated that these communication strategies can be effective, but there are also instances in which exposure to risk communication has adverse effects, such as message rejection, denial of risk, and drop-out from prevention programs. In this project, we study how the implicit activation of risk influences the persuasive effects of various risk communication messages on attention, motivation, and behaviour using self-report (survey) measures, implicit attitudes, and more objective attention measures (such as eye-tracking). The project is a collaboration between University of Amsterdam and Radboud University Nijmegen.