TY - JOUR
T1 - A uniqueness to personal threat (UPT) hypothesis
T2 - How similarity affects perceptions of susceptibility and severity in risk assessment
AU - Rimal, Rajiv N.
AU - Morrison, Dan
PY - 2006
Y1 - 2006
N2 - In the literature, perceived risk is conceptualized as perceptions of both susceptibility and severity. Optimistic bias, the belief that one is less vulnerable than others to various diseases, is based primarily on assessments of personal susceptibility. In this article, the authors ask how perceptions of relative severity/susceptibility differ as a function of perceived similarity between oneself and a referent. Based on predictions from the optimistic bias literature, Study 1 (N = 67) manipulated similarity and measured both susceptibility and severity. As anticipated, ratings of susceptibility were negatively correlated with similarity. Ratings of severity, however, were unexpected in that they were highest for a similar referent. The uniqueness of personal threat hypothesis was proposed as an explanation for this finding, and this hypothesis was tested in Study 2 (N = 121). Results were mostly supportive. Findings indicated that individuals strategically use susceptibility and severity ratings to modulate their assessment of overall risk and personal identity.
AB - In the literature, perceived risk is conceptualized as perceptions of both susceptibility and severity. Optimistic bias, the belief that one is less vulnerable than others to various diseases, is based primarily on assessments of personal susceptibility. In this article, the authors ask how perceptions of relative severity/susceptibility differ as a function of perceived similarity between oneself and a referent. Based on predictions from the optimistic bias literature, Study 1 (N = 67) manipulated similarity and measured both susceptibility and severity. As anticipated, ratings of susceptibility were negatively correlated with similarity. Ratings of severity, however, were unexpected in that they were highest for a similar referent. The uniqueness of personal threat hypothesis was proposed as an explanation for this finding, and this hypothesis was tested in Study 2 (N = 121). Results were mostly supportive. Findings indicated that individuals strategically use susceptibility and severity ratings to modulate their assessment of overall risk and personal identity.
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U2 - 10.1207/s15327027hc2003_1
DO - 10.1207/s15327027hc2003_1
M3 - Article
C2 - 17137413
AN - SCOPUS:33846300982
SN - 1041-0236
VL - 20
SP - 209
EP - 219
JO - Health communication
JF - Health communication
IS - 3
ER -