Freedom-prompting reactance mitigation strategies function differently across levels of trait reactance

ABSTRACT This study assessed the relative effects of reactance mitigation strategies specifically designed to prevent or restore threatened autonomy according to message recipients’ levels of reactance proneness. An experiment (N = 230) using a 2 (inoculation mitigation: present vs. absent) × 2 (freedom threatening language: high vs. low) × 2 (restoration postscript mitigation: present vs. absent) between-subjects design was performed in the context of a safe-sex campaign message. Results showed that message strategies affected state reactance differently across levels of trait reactance. In particular, for those high in trait reactance, inoculation uniquely reduced perceived threat to freedom, which indirectly increased safe-sex intention via state reactance and attitude toward the health behavior. These results demonstrate the importance of using trait reactance as an audience segmentation variable.