Clicking Health Risk Messages on Social Media: Moderated Mediation Paths Through Perceived Threat, Perceived Efficacy, and Fear Arousal

This study drew on appraisal theory to examine how fear appeal messages and individual coping styles combined to drive users’ intention to click (ITC) health risk messages on social media. A 2 × 2 × 2 mixed-design experiment was conducted, with threat and efficacy as between subject factors and message as the within subject factor. The results suggested that: (1) threat and efficacy message influenced ITC via the mediating effect of perceived threat, and perceived efficacy; (2) fear arousal was positively related to intention to click; (3) blunting style used by the participant suppressed fear arousal’s ability to mobilize ITC; and (4) monitoring style had a positive main effect on ITC. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.