Engaging communication for tobacco prevention: how to improve the impact of a prevention message.

Summary In social psychology, the achievement of cognitive and behavioral changes is often studied in two traditionally separate fields. In the field of persuasion, we are mainly interested in the effects that a persuasive message can have on the cognitive level. In the field of commitment, we are essentially interested in the behavioral effects of committing acts. A new approach proposes to bring these two fields together in the same paradigm: engaging communication. Our project consists in studying the impact of an engaging communication in the field of smoking prevention. On the cognitive level, we are interested in the memorization of information (studies 1, 2 and 3) and in attitude change (studies 4 and 5). Behaviorally, we were interested in intentions to protect oneself from smoking, whether these were intentions to cut down (Studies 1, 2, and 3), to quit (Studies 1, 2, and 3), or not to start smoking (Studies 4 and 5). Participants were approached individually (studies 1, 2 and 3) or collectively (studies 4 and 5). Five main results can be identified. First, engaging communication affects the amount of information remembered from a prevention message. Second, it affects intentions to protect oneself from tobacco. Third, cognitive variables do not significantly affect behavioral intentions. Fourth, engaging communication is effective in both individual and group settings. Fifth, it is effective in a context where individuals have a choice to participate in the action as well as in a context where they have no real choice.