Messaging and Its Effects on Attitudes Towards Marijuana Usage
Start Date
29-4-2022 2:15 PM
Location
Alter Hall Poster Session 1 - 2nd floor
Abstract
With the recent shift away from prohibition of medical and recreational marijuana in the United States, the acceptability of marijuana seems to be increasing (Pizzorno, 2016). One possible explanation for this shift could be an increase in pro-marijuana messaging and marketing (Berg, 2015). Previous research has revealed that messaging powerfully affects individuals’ perceptions of a substance, but the extent to which messages affects permissibility of marijuana, particularly among the younger adult population, needs more investigation (Berg, 2015; Huijding, 2004; Stautz, 2017). Using a between-subjects experimental design, the current study randomly assigned 116 university students to read messages that described marijuana usage in a positive or negative and a personal or non-personal manner. The results revealed that positively (compared to negatively) valenced messaging yielded greater permissibility of marijuana use, and negatively (compared to positively) valenced messaging yielded stronger intentions to share the content of the messaging and overall positive evaluations of the content. The only effect that emerged for the personalized nature of the messaging revealed that personal messaging yielded more positive evaluations of the content in comparison to non-personal messaging. Future research could examine whether the medium that messages are circulated can affect public opinion, especially in regards to controversial topics.
Messaging and Its Effects on Attitudes Towards Marijuana Usage
Alter Hall Poster Session 1 - 2nd floor
With the recent shift away from prohibition of medical and recreational marijuana in the United States, the acceptability of marijuana seems to be increasing (Pizzorno, 2016). One possible explanation for this shift could be an increase in pro-marijuana messaging and marketing (Berg, 2015). Previous research has revealed that messaging powerfully affects individuals’ perceptions of a substance, but the extent to which messages affects permissibility of marijuana, particularly among the younger adult population, needs more investigation (Berg, 2015; Huijding, 2004; Stautz, 2017). Using a between-subjects experimental design, the current study randomly assigned 116 university students to read messages that described marijuana usage in a positive or negative and a personal or non-personal manner. The results revealed that positively (compared to negatively) valenced messaging yielded greater permissibility of marijuana use, and negatively (compared to positively) valenced messaging yielded stronger intentions to share the content of the messaging and overall positive evaluations of the content. The only effect that emerged for the personalized nature of the messaging revealed that personal messaging yielded more positive evaluations of the content in comparison to non-personal messaging. Future research could examine whether the medium that messages are circulated can affect public opinion, especially in regards to controversial topics.
