How gay and bisexual men respond to mpox messages through risk- versus identity-based mechanisms: An integrated model

To reduce the risk of transmission in the mpox outbreak, it is crucial to provide accurate, tailored, and culturally sensitive risk communication. In an online experiment (N = 372), we tested a theory-informed model on gay and bisexual men’s response to mpox risk communication focusing on the ingroup versus the general population. Gay and bisexual men who received an ingroup-framed risk message had a stronger protective behavioral intention through heightened risk perception. However, this intended effect of risk message framing was negated by an unintended effect through perceived morality threat to sexual identity and defensive processing. These effects further varied depending on participants' level of identification with their sexuality. Findings highlight the importance of considering the social identity implications of risk communication.