Priming and source credibility effects on individual responses to AMBER and other mediated missing child alerts

Abstract

This study examined the effects of the AMBER Alert system, which has become a staple on broadcast outlets throughout the United States. Using an experimental design, researchers examined priming effects (labeling the alert as “AMBER” or generically “missing child”) and source credibility (from a branded media outlet or a social networking post) on citizen responses to alerts. Regardless of source, the AMBER label prompted higher participant involvement with a case and higher ratings of message importance. The source cue affected ratings of message quality only.

Acknowledgement

The authors wish to thank and acknowledge the work of Maia Finholm for her assistance with data collection for this project during her doctoral studies at the University of Nevada, Reno.

Notes

1 Only 3.6% in the MySpace condition checked this item; however, 27.8% in the Channel 4 condition failed to check this item. This likely is because of the question wording, not because they did not notice the source. News Channel 4 carried the story but that does not mean that the station broke the story.