Theory 16: Extended parallel processing model

Number of Constructs: 22
Number of Triples: 34

Theory triples

• Perceived threat positively influences Fear
• Fear influences Perceived threat
• Protective motivation positively influences Adaptive response
• Defensive motivation positively influences Maladaptive response
• Fear positively influences Defensive motivation
• Message acceptance positively influences Protective motivation
• Fear negatively influences Message acceptance
• Critical point influences the 'Individual differences' to 'Message acceptance' Influences (*) relationship
• Critical point influences the 'Individual differences' to 'Fear ' Influences (*) relationship
• Fear appeal influences Perceived threat
• Fear appeal influences Perceived efficacy
• Perceived threat influences Perceived efficacy
• Severity part of Fear appeal
• Response efficacy part of Fear appeal
• Susceptibility part of Fear appeal
• Self-efficacy part of Fear appeal
• Perceived efficacy influences (*) Message acceptance
• Perceived efficacy influences (*) Fear
• Perceived threat influences (*) Message acceptance
• Perceived threat influences (*) Fear
• Individual differences influences (*) Message acceptance
• Individual differences influences (*) Fear
• Perceived response efficacy part of Perceived efficacy
• Perceived self-efficacy part of Perceived efficacy
• Perceived severity part of Perceived threat
• Perceived susceptibility part of Perceived threat
• Protective motivation part of Danger control processes
• Adaptive response part of Danger control processes
• Defensive motivation part of Fear-control processes
• Maladaptive response part of Fear-control processes
• Severity type of Message components
• Response efficacy type of Message components
• Susceptibility type of Message components
• Self-efficacy type of Message components

Theory constructs and annotations

• Perceived threat [ BCIO:006305 (belief about susceptibility to a threat) 16 3 24 64 ]
• Fear A negatively valenced emotion that is accompanied by a high level of arousal and elicited by a threat that is perceived to be significant and personally relevant [ MFOEM:000026 (fear) 16 ]
• Protective motivation The motivation to avert a threat to oneself [ BCIO:050713 (Motivation to avert harm) 16 ]
• Adaptive response The act of engaging in (adaptive) strategies to avert a threat (e.g. health behaviour change) [ BCIO:050819 (Harm preventing behaviour) 16 30 27 3 ]
• Defensive motivation The process by which one becomes motivated to cope with feelings of fear [ BCIO:006061 (prevention focused motivational orientation) 16 53 ]
• Maladaptive response Dysfunctional strategies used to reduce fear in relation to a threat (e.g. denial, defensive avoidance) [ BCIO:050673 (Harmful fear reduction mental process) 16 ]
• Message acceptance [ BCIO:006141 (belief about message) 16 ]
• Critical point The point at which perceived fear exceeds perceived efficacy, and fear control processes begin to dominate over danger control processes [ BCIO:050659 (Fear reducing process) 16 ]
• Fear appeal Persuasive message designed to scare people by describing the terrible things that will happen to them if they do not do what the message recommends [ BCIO:050559 (Inform about negative consequences BCT) 16 ]
• Perceived efficacy Evaluations of the efficacy of a recommended threat-protective response, based on a combination of both perceptions of one's ability to implement that response and perceptions of the likelihood that enacting the response would successfully avert the threat [ BCIO:050607 (Belief about the positive health consequences of a behaviour) 16 27 ]
• Severity
• Response efficacy Perceptions of the likelihood that taking a particular action would be effective in averting a threat [ BCIO:050648 (Evaluative belief about the positive consequences of a behaviour) 16 28 57 32 60 73 78 3 ]
• Susceptibility
• Self-efficacy [ BCIO:006043 (self-efficacy belief) 16 57 42 ]
• Individual differences Variations between people in terms of prior experiences, culture and personality characteristics [ BCIO:050002 (personal disposition) 16 ]
• Perceived response efficacy
• Perceived self-efficacy Perceptions of one's ability to take a recommended protective action [ BCIO:006154 (self-efficacy belief for a behaviour) 16 56 54 66 14 60 81 82 73 17 4 57 42 80 78 ]
• Perceived severity Perceptions of the seriousness of a threat [ BCIO:006030 (belief about severity of an outcome) 16 64 ]
• Perceived susceptibility Perceptions of the likelihood that one is vulnerable to a threat [ BCIO:006031 (Belief about personal susceptibility) 16 14 72 ]
• Danger control processes The motivation to control the threat; initiated when one perceives that there is a high level of threat and that one is capable of taking effective action to avert that threat [ BCIO:050840 (Threat-reducing behaviour) 16 ]
• Fear-control processes The processes initiated when one has high perceptions of threat but low perceptions of one's ability to take action that would effectively avert that threat; involves a motivation to cope with fear [ BCIO:050660 (Fear reduction mental process) 16 ]
• Message components

Theory illustration

Theory Reference

• Witte, K. (1992). Putting the fear back in fear appeals: The extended parallel processing model. Communication Monographs, 59, 329-349.