Using Functional Theory to Promote Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Testing

Abstract

This article reports two studies testing the use of the functional theory of attitudes and arousal of guilt in motivating college students to get tested for genital herpes and chlamydia. Value-expressive appeals to get tested for the benevolent purpose of protecting sexual partners could be effective if that goal is desired by message targets who are sexually active and unaware of their sexually transmitted disease status. The appeals’ effectiveness is increased by the arousal of guilt in response to the recognition that failing to get tested is a violation of that value. A model detailing the mediating processes is found to be consistent with the data across two studies. Study 1 found that value-expressive messages tying the importance of getting tested for herpes to the goal of protecting the health of sexual partners is related to increased intentions toward getting tested; being healthy oneself is additional motivation for chlamydia in Study 2.

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