Abstract
The use of refutational messages was suggested in a recent discussion about public communication campaigns as an instrument in recruiting donor-card holders. Characteristically such messages not only point out arguments in favour of filling in a donor card, but they also refute potential counterarguments. In the light of normative altruism models this particular sort of message runs a high risk of boomerang effects. In this experiment it was hypothesised that, specifically for subjects showing a strong tendency to deny responsibility, the presence of a refutational message results in (a) stronger agreement with negative behavioural outcomes, (b) weaker intentions to fill in a donor card, and (c) less desired behaviour. Experimental results relate to 202 inhabitants of a Dutch town. Their average age is 39 yr.; 34% are male, while average education is comparable to junior high school. High-denial subjects showed the predicted effect of stronger agreement with negative behavioural consequences, less willingness to complete a donor card, and less desired behaviour. However, boomerang effects were not experimentally confirmed. Some conditions explaining the nonoccurrence of detrimental campaign effects and suggestions for further experiments are discussed.
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