Breast cancer survivor testimonies: Effects of narrative and emotional valence on affect and cognition

Abstract

This study examined the impact of narrative and emotion on processing of African American breast cancer survivor messages. We employed a two (narrative: present/absent) × three (emotional valence: pleasant/unpleasant/mixed) × four (message repetition) within-subjects experimental design. Findings indicated narrative messages with both pleasant and unpleasant emotional content (mixed) showed the greatest attention (heart rate deceleration) and negative emotional response (corrugator supercillii) while unpleasant narratives showed the least. Surprisingly, non-narrative messages showed the opposite pattern of results, where unpleasant messages showed the greatest attention and emotional response while non-narrative messages with mixed emotional content showed the least. These data initially point to the conclusion that attention for narrative material depends on the valence of emotion expressed in the message, which has both theoretical and practical implications.

Key words:

• breast cancer
• cognitive processing
• emotion
• narrative
• African American

Public interest statement

Personal stories, or narratives, are often used in health media messages in order to encourage attention and emotional responses to these messages. Many researchers consider narrative messages to be the most effective at conveying important information and at persuading audiences. This study examined the impact of African American breast cancer survivors’ personal stories of dealing with the disease and the emotional tones of their stories on how African American women who watched these stories paid attention and emotionally responded to them. Findings indicate that narrative messages with both pleasant and unpleasant emotional content showed the greatest attention and negative emotional response, while unpleasant narratives showed the least. Surprisingly, non-narrative messages showed the opposite pattern of results, where unpleasant messages showed the greatest attention and emotional response while non-narrative messages with mixed emotional content showed the least. These data initially point to the conclusion that attention for narrative material depends on the valence of emotion expressed in the message, which has both theoretical and practical implications.

Notes

1. Data from eleven participants were unavailable due to equipment and operator error.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Glenn Leshner

Glenn Leshner, PhD, is the Edward L. & Thelma Gaylord Chair in Journalism in the Gaylord College of Journalism & Mass Communication at the University of Oklahoma. He also directs the OU PRIME Lab (Psychological Research on Information and Media Effects) in the Center for Applied Social Science at OU. His main research area is the psychological processing of mediated information, including attention, memory, affect, and behavior, particularly with respect to health messages. He has conducted research on how individuals process health-related information, such as anti-tobacco audio/visual messages. His current research focuses on communication regulatory science, a field that uses research to inform regulatory actions designed to promote optimal outcomes that benefit public health. Leshner’s research addresses how media strategies can overcome various types of audience resistance to persuasive health messages, with the ultimate goal of informing communication campaigns designed to improve public health. The current study extends the research on narrative communication, particularly in the context of breast cancer messages.