Matching Messages with Motives - the Reversal Theory Toolkit

Theoretical Background and research questions/hypothesis: How do personal motivational states impact how someone hears health or risk communication messaging? Why do some messages have an opposite impact than intended? How can we better detect, and even predict, possible disconnects between social messaging and personal decision making?  This session integrates past and current health-related communications research conducted using a psychological theory of motivation called reversal theory.  Reversal theory proposes that there are eight motivational states that align with both positive and negative emotions. When a motivational state is triggered positively, a positive emotion may result, inspiring action consistent with that state.  When the motivational state is triggered negatively, a negative emotion may result, impeding the action that was actually desired.  How can health professionals use the systematic structure and framework of reversal theory to better design their messages, and anticipate audience responses? This session explores this question. Methods and Results (informing the conceptual analysis): Research using reversal theory has been conducted to better understand smoking cessation, seat belt use, adherence to exercise programs, and disordered eating.  It has also been applied to analyze the role of metaphor in risk communication, and even explore the human attraction to violence and war.  Broadly and deeply researched to investigate both social and individual problems, reversal theory is an attractive theory and framework for the health communication professional’s toolbox. Using public outreach and education video clips and other published media, this session will teach the reversal theory framework and provide ideas for how participants might apply the framework to their own communication projects. 

Conclusions: Past research demonstrates that reversal theory is a tool that can be used to systematically analyze the possible impacts, both positive and negative, on the motivational states and emotions of target audiences. Participants in this session will be introduced to the core structure of reversal theory and its eight motivational states, and provided with case studies to learn how to apply the tool to their own work. 

Implications for research and/or practice: Designed for health communication professionals that are looking for well-researched and practical tools, this session will blend both an overview of research, and concrete practical applications, to provide a new framework and tool for people crafting messages in the real world.