![Sample our Communication Studies journals, sign in here to start your access, 2013 & 2014 volumes FREE to you for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5927/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Information-Science2.jpg"})
Abstract
This study was designed to examine the role of issue involvement and the 3 components of the theory of planned behavior in predicting intentions to sign a cornea donor card. This study also compares viewers and nonviewers of an entertainment–education program in terms of issue involvement and the theory of planned behavior. The breakdown of effects for the latent constructs confirms that issue involvement is an important intermediary in the persuasion process. Issue involvement is a common causal antecedent of attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control, the last 2 of which, in turn, predict intentions, whereas attitude does not. The revised path model confirms that involvement directly influences intentions. In the comparison of viewers with nonviewers, viewers exhibit a significantly higher degree of involvement, attitude toward cornea donation, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, and intention to sign a cornea donor card. The overall findings of this study suggest that adding issue involvement in the theory of planned behavior enhances the explanatory power of the theory in predicting intentions.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
An earlier version of this article was presented at the Annual Conference of the International Communication Association, Dresden, Germany, June 19–23, 2006. The authors appreciate two anonymous reviewers and Dr. Steve Lacy for their valuable comments on this study.