Universal connectedness: trait universality dampens psychological reactance

Abstract

ABSTRACT A sample of college-aged participants (N = 233) were exposed to a freedom-threatening, excessive alcohol public service announcement. Freedom-threat, psychological reactance, behavioral intentions to consume alcohol, and trait universality were measured following message exposure. Simple-mediation analysis revealed that psychological reactance had a positive indirect effect on the association between freedom-threat and intentions to consume alcohol. Moderation-mediation analysis revealed that trait universality negatively moderated the indirect effect of psychological reactance across three trait universality scores. This study provides support for the two-step model of psychological reactance and evidence that trait universality diminishes freedom-threat, psychological reactance, and behavioral intentions.