When Visual Communication Backfires: Reactance to Three Aspects of Imagery
Journal
Communication Research
Type
journal article
Date Issued
2025-01-09
Author(s)
Abstract
Although many persuasive messages include imagery, relatively little is known about the potential for the visual components to induce reactance. This research examined the effects of three message variations—camera angle (low vs. eye-level), antithesis (vs. thesis) (i.e., the juxtaposition of contrasting images), and facial expression of emotion (anger vs. happiness)—on reactance and subsequent persuasion. Two experiments (N = 240 and N = 259) using pro-environmental appeals found that variation in each of the visual features was associated with increased perception of threat to freedom, reactance and decreased persuasion. Political conservatives felt more threatened by any message than liberals, but were not differentially sensitive to image variations. This research opens the door for a programmatic analysis of imagery and reactance.
Language
English (United States)
Keywords
imagery
reactance
environmental advocacy
persuasion
HSG Classification
contribution to scientific community
Refereed
Yes
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Volume
52
Number
5
Subject(s)
Division(s)
File(s)![Thumbnail Image]()
Name
bunzli-et-al-2025-when-visual-communication-backfires-reactance-to-three-aspects-of-imagery.pdf
Size
541.07 KB
Format
Adobe PDF
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