Anger Expression Moderates the Effects of Psychological Reactance to Sexual Health Messages

This study examined how anger expression tendencies moderate the negative consequences of state reactance. An experiment was conducted whereby participants (N = 226) read a health public service announcement (PSA) that encouraged conversations about sexual health history prior to sexual encounters with new partners and that varied in freedom-threatening language. As hypothesized, the freedom-threatening appeal increased perceived threat to freedom and subsequent reactance. However, the negative relationship between reactance and attitude was mitigated for people who were lower in dispositional anger expression. The results showed that the extent to which state reactance resulted in unhealthy outcomes depended on the degree to which people tend to communicate anger. These findings are discussed in terms of theoretical implications for reactance scholars and practical utility for health message designers.