Self-compassion and resistance to persuasion

Abstract

Objective

Persuasive health messages sometimes induce resistance. This article explores the link between self-compassion and resistance to health messages that threaten autonomy.

Design

A pilot study (N = 100) tested whether threatening health messages versus non-threatening messages damage needs for autonomy, which translates into emotional resistance and behavioural intentions of resistance. The main study (N = 83) tested self-compassion and reactant traits as moderators of observable health-behaviour (soft drink consumption) faced with threatening messages versus non-threatening messages.

Outcome Measures

The pilot study tested whether threatening health messages create resistance using self-reports of anger and resistant behavioural intentions. Observable health-behaviour (soft drink vs. water consumption) was measured in the main study.

Results

The pilot study showed that the perceived threat to autonomy, which was induced by threatening health messages about soft drink consumption, creates resistance (self-reports of anger and resistant behavioural intentions). The main study shows that the most self-compassionate people act in favour of the arguments of the threatening messages (drinking water rather than soft drinks), whereas the least self-compassionate do not.

Conclusion

These innovative results are discussed in regard to the compliance role of self-compassion through self-regulatory functions.

Keywords:

• Resistance
• self-compassion
• health behavior
• persuasive communication

Disclosure statement

Each author declares that he/she has no conflict of interest.

Notes

1 An ECG signal measurement was performed throughout this study (data unprocessed in this article), resulting in the specification of several instructions and exclusion criteria for participants (no smoking, eating or drinking for 2 hours before the experiment; no physical activity during the 24 hours before the experiment; no medical treatment or heart disease). Each of these criteria were moreover verified by specific items in the questionnaire during the experiment. Participants were equipped with ECG measurement equipment immediately after signing their consent and this equipment was removed at the very end of the experiment. The current procedure described could not therefore interfere with the measurement of this signal.

2 For ethical reasons and precautions for possible diabetic participants, the soft drink was sugar-free. The participant was informed of this at the end of the experiment.

3 A high number of cups was presented on the tray to make it difficult to count, so that the second participant was not able to deduce the drink chosen by the first one.