Message Fatigue to Bystander Intervention Messages: Examining Pathways of Resistance among College Men

Abstract

Bystander intervention programs are a feature on college campuses; however, the effectiveness of these programs among certain subsets of men has recently been questioned. The current study examines college men’s resistance to bystander intervention efforts by investigating message fatigue as a theoretical explanation for how bystander intervention programs may fail among college men. Specifically, the current study examined both active (i.e., reactance) and passive (i.e., inattention) resistance to bystander intervention messages among a sample of college men (N = 518). Results were consistent with reactance as a mediating mechanism explaining message failure among fatigued audiences. The mediating role of inattention was not supported. Theoretical and practical implications of the current study are discussed.

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