Abstract :
Two experiments tested the hypothesis that a
positive mood can increase attendance to, and systematic
processing of, threatening health information, particularly
when the information is self-relevant. In Study 1, a positive
mood increased differentiation between strong and weak
arguments in a threatening health message about RSI only
for participants who had received false feedback regarding
their high vulnerability to RSI. Mood had no effects under
conditions of low vulnerability. In Study 2, a positive mood
speeded up responses to self-threatening words—compared
with neutral words—for smokers who had just read a
threatening health message about smoking. The authors
conclude that fostering a positive mood may promote
attendance to and systematic processing of information that
threatens the self, and hence contribute to the success of
health campaigns targeted at individuals who are vulnerable
to specific health risks.
