Source Effects on Psychological Reactance to Regulatory Policies: The Role of Trust and Similarity

Abstract

Efforts to communicate risk reduction policies must consider how target audiences will respond to the source of the message. This study investigates how modifying the message source enhances or diminishes psychological reactance against a policy designed to curb a wildlife disease. In an experimental study, we attributed a press release announcing this policy to different sources. We found that the source had an indirect effect on reactance, which subsequently affected attitudes toward the policy and behavioral intentions. Specifically, the more similar and trustworthy participants perceived the source, the less likely the source was to induce freedom threat or reactance.