| Description |
Visuals are often used to communicate health information, including information about cancer risk. This dissertation launched a research program by conducting three studies utilizing multiple methodological perspectives. These three studies collectively aimed to understand the impact of using visuals in communicating cancer risk. The first study-a meta-analysis of visual message experiments-summarized six studies (eight effect sizes) involving 5,382 participants and demonstrated a significant positive effect of using visuals to alter cancer risk perception (Cohen's d = .10, 95% CI: .05, .16). The second study is a 5 (visual: UV skin damage, sun exposure, sunburn, photoaging, and mole removal) × 3 (replication: three examples of each visual condition) × 4 (efficacy: no efficacy, text only, visual, visual + text) randomized controlled trial. The study illustrates that UV skin damage visuals, when compared to all other visual conditions combined, generated greater fear, which then triggered greater sun-safe behavior expectations. When compared with other visual conditions separately, only mole removal visuals produced equivalent fear as UV skin damage visuals. The third study followed up the second study in two important ways: (1) adding a personalized UV (PUV) photo condition and (2) utilizing physiological measures (i.e., facial expression and skin conductance). Results showed that PUV skin damage photos produced significantly greater self-reported fear and positive valence (detected by facial expression analysis) than NUV but not SUV. Mediation analysis demonstrated that novelty iv significantly mediated the relationship between exposure to PUV vs. NUV (and SUV vs. NUV) skin damage visuals and all three types of behavior expectations (i.e., sunscreen, protective items, and seeking shade). Overall, this dissertation made contributions to visual health communication in the context of cancer. Chapters 3 and 4 added to the scholarly conversation by investigating the mediating role of fear and other discrete emotions. The dissertation found critical differences between personalized UV photos, stock UV photos, and mole removal photos. Other important findings from the program relate to the importance of novelty in messages. When messages are perceived as novel, they are more effective in influencing behavioral outcomes. |
