Impact of narratives on persuasion in health communication: A meta-analysis

Fuyuan Shen, Vivian C. Sheer, Ruobing Li

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

403 Scopus citations

Abstract

This meta-analysis assessed the persuasive effects of narratives in health communication. A search of the literature identified 25 studies (N = 9,330) that examined the effects of narratives on persuasion as measured by changes in attitudes, intentions, and behaviors. Analyses of the effect sizes indicated that, overall, narratives had a small impact on persuasion (r =.063, p <.01). Narratives delivered via audio and video produced significant effects; print-based narratives, however, did not exhibit a significant impact. Further, not all health issues were equally affected by narrative messages aiming at intervention. Those narratives that advocated detection and prevention behaviors led to significant effects, whereas those advocating cessation behaviors did not have significant effects. These findings offer both theoretical and practical implications.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)105-113
Number of pages9
JournalJournal of Advertising
Volume44
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 3 2015

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Business and International Management
  • Communication
  • Marketing

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Impact of narratives on persuasion in health communication: A meta-analysis'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this