SGER: A Social Cognitive Model for Processing Health Risk Information About Anthrax Fears

University Of North Carolina At Wilmington, Wilmington NC

Investigators

Abstract

This small grant for exploratory research examines how individuals respond to a salient and pervasive health threat. This issue is particularly relevant in the context of recent biochemical terrorism involving anthrax. Because all individuals are at some risk to this health threat over which they have little control, the public's temporary elevated concern represents a unique and particularly salient context within which to study the cognitive antecedents and consequences of a low probability, but potentially high consequence health threat. Individual differences in health vulnerability beliefs will be assessed and perceived control over the health threat will be experimentally manipulated. The cognitive consequences of the health threat will include self-reported assessments of perceived risk for contracting anthrax, a perceptual index of attention to anthrax-relevant stimuli (as indicated by RTs on a modified Stroop task), and an index of health goal behavior. This research will determine whether individuals with health vulnerability beliefs are especially susceptible to anthrax fears, and whether perceived control can mitigate these fears. Because most individuals express health invulnerability beliefs (i.e., the belief that they will not get ill), even when health threats are significant, this research will explore some of the mechanisms that might result in these invulnerability beliefs. Finally, the research can also help us understand why individuals undertake, or fail to undertake, protective actions against various health threats.