TY - JOUR
T1 - Effect of Psychological Distance on Intention in Self-Affirmation Theory
AU - Shin, Myoungjin
AU - Kim, Yeonjin
AU - Park, Seungha
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2019.
PY - 2020/12/1
Y1 - 2020/12/1
N2 - In previous studies, self-affirmation has been shown to have no effect or have a negative impact on intention to change. We applied construal level theory to examine possible reasons for inconsistencies among findings in existing self-affirmation studies. In Study 1, when female college students in their 20s (N = 113) received health threat information with a psychologically proximal breast cancer message, it induced low-level construal and increased specific physical activity intention. In Study 2, when self-affirmed participants were exposed to health threat information with a psychologically distal Alzheimer’s disease message, there was no increase in specific physical activity intention. These results suggest that when a discrepancy exists between the psychological distance of health threat information and the intention reflecting the construal level, no change of intention occurs, even in self-affirmed individuals.
AB - In previous studies, self-affirmation has been shown to have no effect or have a negative impact on intention to change. We applied construal level theory to examine possible reasons for inconsistencies among findings in existing self-affirmation studies. In Study 1, when female college students in their 20s (N = 113) received health threat information with a psychologically proximal breast cancer message, it induced low-level construal and increased specific physical activity intention. In Study 2, when self-affirmed participants were exposed to health threat information with a psychologically distal Alzheimer’s disease message, there was no increase in specific physical activity intention. These results suggest that when a discrepancy exists between the psychological distance of health threat information and the intention reflecting the construal level, no change of intention occurs, even in self-affirmed individuals.
KW - construal level theory
KW - health threat message
KW - physical activity intention
KW - psychological distance
KW - Self-affirmation theory
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85067808002&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/0033294119856547
DO - 10.1177/0033294119856547
M3 - Article
C2 - 31200619
AN - SCOPUS:85067808002
SN - 0033-2941
VL - 123
SP - 2101
EP - 2124
JO - Psychological Reports
JF - Psychological Reports
IS - 6
ER -