Gratitude in Health Messages: The Moderating Role of Anthropomorphism
研究发现，在健康信息中唤起感恩情绪比恐惧更有效，但前提是信息中包含拟人化线索；否则恐惧更有效。该发现对健康广告设计有指导意义。
This article suggests that evoking the positive emotion of gratitude, rather than fear, can be more effective in health messages. Specifically, the gratitude (vs. fear) effect emerges when health messages feature anthropomorphic cues. The authors tested predictions across three studies by examining dispositional, incidental, and integral emotions. Findings show that fear and gratitude can be effective emotion appeals in health advertising. Specifically, fear is more effective in the absence of anthropomorphic cues. However, gratitude is more effective when anthropomorphic cues are present. Further, these divergent effects emerge owing to distinct functional motives induced by each emotion. This research offers practical and theoretical contributions to the knowledge and literature on transformative advertising by drawing on the theories of emotions, anthropomorphism, and evolutionary psychology.