The Effects of High and Low Fear Messages about Drugs

Abstract

This paper reports two studies of the effects of high and low fear messages about drugs. In the first study three levels of threat appeal about marijuana were used. The interaction between the value of these messages and anxiety level was examined. The second study concerned attitudes toward a non-existent drug-MOT, on the expectation that attitudes to MOT would have few extraneous influences (outside the message itself). It was found that differences among the persuasive messages were very small and insignificant. However, the effects of fear level for MOT were very large and indicate that high fear appeals are superior. Where a new drug is involved it would be expected that a high threat will discourage use more than a low threat.