Stigmas may regulate intergroup relationships; they may also influence interpersonal actions. This study extends the previous test of the model of stigma communication (Smith, 2012) with a factorial experiment in which the outcomes refer to a hypothetical acquaintance. New affective reactions, sympathy and frustration, and a new personality trait, disgust sensitivity, were explored. In addition, perceived severity and susceptibility of the infection were included as alternative mechanisms explaining the effects. The results (n = 318) showed that message content, message reactions (emotional and cognitive), and disgust sensitivity predicted intentions to regulate the infected acquaintance's interactions and lifestyle (R (2) = .79) and participants' likelihood of telling others about the acquaintance's infection (R (2) = .35). The findings generally provided support for MSC and directions for improvement.
BT - Communication studies C1 -http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25425853?dopt=Abstract
DO - 10.1080/10510974.2013.851095 IS - 2 J2 - Commun Stud LA - eng N2 -Stigmas may regulate intergroup relationships; they may also influence interpersonal actions. This study extends the previous test of the model of stigma communication (Smith, 2012) with a factorial experiment in which the outcomes refer to a hypothetical acquaintance. New affective reactions, sympathy and frustration, and a new personality trait, disgust sensitivity, were explored. In addition, perceived severity and susceptibility of the infection were included as alternative mechanisms explaining the effects. The results (n = 318) showed that message content, message reactions (emotional and cognitive), and disgust sensitivity predicted intentions to regulate the infected acquaintance's interactions and lifestyle (R (2) = .79) and participants' likelihood of telling others about the acquaintance's infection (R (2) = .35). The findings generally provided support for MSC and directions for improvement.
PY - 2014 SP - 154 EP - 173 T2 - Communication studies TI - Testing the Model of Stigma Communication with a Factorial Experiment in an Interpersonal Context. UR - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4241266/pdf/nihms608682.pdf VL - 65 SN - 1051-0974 ER -