Scared stiff? The effectiveness of threat appeals in counseling services advertising to high-anxiety students

Ashill, Nicholas J.; Carruthers, Janet; Krisjanous, Jayne; Ashill, Nick; Eccarius, Katrin

Abstract

This exploratory study proposes and tests a theoretical model that analyzes threat appeals in regard to their effectiveness for high-anxiety students, one of the major target groups for counseling services. In particular, affective and cognitive responses to a threat appeal advertisement and their effects on attitude toward the advertisement and behavior are examined. The results suggest that a strong threat appeal is not effective for counseling services but that positive emotions toward the advertisement and cognitive involvement have a positive impact on advertising outcomes. The study contributes further to knowledge of threat appeal effectiveness, targeting "anxious" audiences. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Sep 6, 2013
• Publication Date: Oct 1, 2013
• Deposit Date: Oct 28, 2016
• Journal: Psychology and Marketing
• Print ISSN: 0742-6046
• Electronic ISSN: 1520-6793
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 30
• Issue: 10
• Pages: 874-890
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.20652
• Keywords: threats, counseling, counselling, anxiety
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/937389
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/mar.20652
• Contract Date: Oct 28, 2016