Too Much of a Good Thing: The Backfire Effect as a Trigger for Psychological Reactance in E-Cigarette Cessation Social Marketing

This set of three studies—two involving electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) users and one involving nonsmokers—investigates the impacts of message fatigue from anti-smoking ads and message types using psychological distance on psychological reactance toward e-cigarette cessation ads, subsequently influencing behavioral intentions. The findings from all three studies consistently demonstrated that both smokers and nonsmokers experiencing higher message fatigue from anti-smoking ads showed diminished behavioral intentions. Specifically, this relationship was mediated by a higher perceived threat to freedom as the first-stage mediator and greater psychological reactance towards e-cigarette cessation ads as the second-stage mediator in a sequential manner. Furthermore, in Study 2, this serial relationship was magnified for e-cigarette users under the distant frame for social distance. The current study findings not only expand on earlier research, but also offer practical insights for social marketing in public health.