Selective Avoidance on Health Topics

Abstract

As in previous selective exposure (avoidance) research, the purpose of this study was to determine whether individuals shy away from information which could be dissonance-arousing. However, in contrast to previous laboratory-type studies, this was carried out in a field setting in conjunction with an ongoing health education program at a large urban hospital serving low-income groups. The key dependent variables were actual attention to the health film and stated preferences for further information on two potentially dissonance-arousing topics: the risks of cigarette smoking and of untreated hypertension. The data show only negligible evidence of selective exposure on either topic for either indicator. To the very limited extent selective exposure was found to occur, the tendency was greater, in terms of actual attention among people thirty and above than among those younger, and greater, in terms of stated preferences for further information, among dogmatic than among less dogmatic individuals.