Bedtime stories: The effects of self-constructed risk scenarios on imaginability and perceived susceptibility to sexually transmitted infections

Abstract

Various authors (e.g. Kahnemann, D., & Tversky, A. (1982). The simulation heuristic. In D. Kahnemann, P. Slovic, & A. Tversky (Eds.), Judgment under uncertainty: Heuristics and biases (pp. 201–208). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press) have suggested that imagining an event and its consequences influences the perceived likelihood that it might happen in reality (simulation heuristic). A scenario – a description of how a certain activity can lead to a certain outcome – may stimulate one to imagine the outcomes and may influence one's likelihood judgement. The present research studied the effect of risk scenarios on perceptions of susceptibility to sexually transmitted infections and the role of imaginability therein. In a randomised experimental study, we examined the effects of a prefabricated risk scenario and a self-constructed risk scenario against a non-message condition on perceived susceptibility to get infected with Chlamydia. Participants considered themselves more susceptible to Chlamydia after writing their own risk scenario but not after reading the prefabricated risk scenario. The imaginability of the event seemed to mediate the effect of self-constructed scenario information on perceived susceptibility. Recommendations for health education practices are discussed.

Keywords:

• risk perception
• risk information
• simulation heuristic
• STI

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Eline Verweij and Hannah Hoffenkamp for their help in collecting the data. This research was supported by ZonMw grant 40050010.

Notes

In the process of writing down this study, our highly esteemed friend and colleague Prof. H.P. Schaalma unexpectedly passed away.

Notes

1. Repeating the analyses excluding participants indicating to be homosexual (N = 2) did not significantly change these results.

2. We did additional analyses to explore the possible influence of past sexual safety on the impact of the risk scenario messages. To create sufficiently large groups, we recoded the sexual safety measure into a dichotomous measure (0 = no sex or always safe sex (N = 39); 1 = unsafe sex (N = 99)) and repeated the ANCOVA now including sexual safety as a factor. Results showed that the main effect of condition was reduced, F(2, 131) = 2.94, p = 0.056,  = 0.04, while the main effect of sexual safety and the interaction between condition and sexual safety were both not significant (p's > 0.88).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Herman P. Schaalma

In the process of writing down this study, our highly esteemed friend and colleague Prof. H.P. Schaalma unexpectedly passed away.