HEALTH PROMOTION (HOVLAND-YALE APPROACH, 1950)

Question 1

What is health promotion?

Answer 1

Any campaign or program designed to encourage healthy behaviours and positive health outcomes.

Question 2

What methods can be used to promote healthy behaviours?

Answer 2

1. Persuasive techniques (Hovland-Yale approach)
2. Fear arousal
3. Education
4. Policy and environmental changes

Question 3

What is the Hovland-Yale Approach (HYA)?

Answer 3

A communication model of persuasion proposed by Carl Hovland which explains how attitudes can be changed via persuasion. It identifies 4 key factors that can influence how effective a persuasive message is:

Question 4

What 4 factors, proposed by the Hovland, can influence the effectiveness of a persuasive message?

Answer 4

1. Source of the message
2. Content of the message
3. Medium of the message
4. Audience characteristics

‘Some Cats Make Arguments’ SCMA

Question 5

‘Source of the message’?

Answer 5

Focuses on the source of the message and the extent to which they are periceved as credible, trustworthy or expert

Question 6

Why is the source of the message important in persuastion?

Answer 6

( Audiences are more persuaded if they believe the communicator/ source is credible, trustworthy or expert)

Commuicators such as doctors, health organisations (nhs/who), respected celebs known for healthy living increases percieved credibility of the message

Question 7

‘Content of the message’?

Answer 7

Focuses on the content of the message- specifically its structure, tone, logic or appeal.

Question 8

How can the content of the messsage influence persuation?

Answer 8

Research (McGuire 1964) suggests that 2 sided, balanced arguments ‘inoculate’ undecided audiences against conflicting views—building resistance to later opposing messages.

(e.g., acknowledging the difficulty of changing habits but stressing the long-term benefits)

Question 9

‘Medium of the message?

Answer 9

Focuses on the channel on which the message is conveyed (TV, social media, radio, face to face)

Question 10

How can the medium of the message affect persuation?

Answer 10

Research (Lippa 1994) suggests face to face mediums are more effective for tailored messaging.
Print media is more effective for complex messaging (as it promotes better focus and retention)

Question 11

‘Audience characteristics?

Answer 11

Focuses on characteristic of the target audience, which can influence how likely they are to be persuaded (age, intellgence, self-esteem).

Question 12

How can audience characteristics influence persuation?

Answer 12

Research (Wood & Stagner 1994) suggests that people with moderate intelligence and self-esteem are generally more persuable than thoes with very low or high levels of intellgience and self-esteem.

Yale research suggests that intelligence people may be less persuadable as they are more likley to find flaws with the message and disagree, whilst less intellgent people may agree without full understanding.

Question 13

Name 1 strength and 1 weakness of the HYA?

Answer 13

• Strength (practical application)- highly applicable to real world health campaigns (can help campaigners choose effective messagers, mediums)
• Weakness (reductive) real life persuation is more complex than 4 components (ignores deeper cognitive processes, sociio-economci factors)

Question 14

Summarise researchers-HYA

Answer 14

Wood & Stagner (1994)- role of intellgience and self esteem in persuation.
Lippa (1994)- role of face to face, print media messaging in persuation.
MGuire (1964)- importance of providing 2 sided, balanced arguments in persuation