![]() ![]() 1 The most extensive meta-analysis of fear appeal research came to the following conclusions ( Tannenbaum et al. ![]() Several meta-analyses of hundreds of empirical studies demonstrate the general conclusion that fear appeals are an effective and useful strategy to influence attitudes, intentions and behaviors in target populations ( Mongeau 1998 Sutton 1982 Witte and Allen 2000). Fear appeals are often characterized by gruesome content communicated through vivid personalistic language and gory pictures and are focused on motivating behavioral change ( Witte 1992: 330-31 Witte 1994: 132). Witte 1992: 329) define fear appeals as ‘persuasive communications attempting to arouse fear to promote precautionary motivation and self-protective action’. The primary application of this research has been to public health campaigns intended to promote preventive care behaviors, such as flossing, condom usage and breast self-exams, and decrease behaviors such as smoking, binge drinking, drinking and driving and drug use. Social scientists, psychologists and advertisers have been exploring fear appeal arguments quite extensively over the past 60 years. He sought to increase fear of one object (God) and the inescapable crisis of divine judgment in order to decrease fear of other crises (death, disease, natural disasters, war, oppressive government, poverty, low social status). John rhetorically utilized fear appeals to reshape his hearers’ perception of danger and efficacy. This article will accordingly present and heuristically utilize the Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM) to consider fear appeals in the Apocalypse of John and how John sought to increase the fear of God in his hearers as a means to cope with other pressing fears and motivate faithful obedience (in line with his vision of what that entails). ![]() Relevant to our current global pandemic, John even indicates that God would allow a pandemic or infectious disease of some sort (along with sword, famine and wild beasts) to kill a quarter of the people on the earth (Rev. The Apocalypse of John does not contain any theoretical reflection on fear, but it does provide a vivid case study of the rhetorical use of fear appeals. Epidemics and various forms of fearful crises, of course, are not historically new phenomena, and many ancient authors reflect on the potential of fear to motivate or manipulate actions ( Chaniotis 2013 Glad 1995 Henning 2014 Patera 2014 Stewart 2019a). ![]() This crisis has paralleled an equally powerful spread of fear throughout the world, fear which has motivated many personal and public policies and actions. The rapid spread of COVID-19 in 2020-2021 has produced a significant, complicated and deadly global crisis. All subjects Allied Health Cardiology & Cardiovascular Medicine Dentistry Emergency Medicine & Critical Care Endocrinology & Metabolism Environmental Science General Medicine Geriatrics Infectious Diseases Medico-legal Neurology Nursing Nutrition Obstetrics & Gynecology Oncology Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine Otolaryngology Palliative Medicine & Chronic Care Pediatrics Pharmacology & Toxicology Psychiatry & Psychology Public Health Pulmonary & Respiratory Medicine Radiology Research Methods & Evaluation Rheumatology Surgery Tropical Medicine Veterinary Medicine Cell Biology Clinical Biochemistry Environmental Science Life Sciences Neuroscience Pharmacology & Toxicology Biomedical Engineering Engineering & Computing Environmental Engineering Materials Science Anthropology & Archaeology Communication & Media Studies Criminology & Criminal Justice Cultural Studies Economics & Development Education Environmental Studies Ethnic Studies Family Studies Gender Studies Geography Gerontology & Aging Group Studies History Information Science Interpersonal Violence Language & Linguistics Law Management & Organization Studies Marketing & Hospitality Music Peace Studies & Conflict Resolution Philosophy Politics & International Relations Psychoanalysis Psychology & Counseling Public Administration Regional Studies Religion Research Methods & Evaluation Science & Society Studies Social Work & Social Policy Sociology Special Education Urban Studies & Planning BROWSE JOURNALS ![]()
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