An exploratory experimental study examining the short-term effects of a public service announcement on parents' perceptions of the descriptive norm for children's outdoor play: A cautionary tale.

Publisher: Wiley Country of Publication: Australia NLM ID: 9710936 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1036-1073 (Print) Linking ISSN: 10361073 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Health Promot J Austr Subsets: MEDLINE

Publication: 2018- : Milton, Queensland : Wiley
Original Publication: West Perth, WA : Australian Association of Health Promotion Professionals,

Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice* ; Public Service Announcements as Topic*; Exercise/*psychology ; Health Promotion/*methods ; Parents/*psychology ; Play and Playthings/*psychology; Adolescent ; Adult ; Australia ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Intention ; Male

Issue Addressed: Public service announcements (PSA) targeting physical activity are not always effective at enacting behaviour change. One factor that may impact message effectiveness is whether the message matches its intent (ie, what norm is being portrayed and received). The current study explored the effects of two PSAs on parents' perceptions of outdoor play.
Methods: Parents (N = 333) completed a pre/postexperimental online survey to examine the acute impact of a PSA on their perception of how often children play outdoors (ie, descriptive norms). Participants provided their descriptive norm perceptions and then were randomised to view one of two PSAs: (a) the Mr. Lonely PSA, which portrayed outdoor activity as not normative, and (b) a control message, which portrayed outdoor activity as the norm (VERB PSA). After viewing their PSA, descriptive norm perceptions were reported again.
Results: A two-way mixed ANOVA indicated that participants who viewed the Mr. Lonely PSA (where outdoor play was not normative) perceived that children and youth played outdoors less frequently immediately after watching the PSA compared to before viewing it (P < 0.05). No significant change occurred in the control condition.
Conclusions: PSAs can alter individuals' perceptions of whether they perceive outdoor play as normative among children and youth. SO WHAT?: As individuals align their behaviour with what is typical, PSA developers should be wary of what message is being conveyed. In terms of activity, portraying that outdoor play is not normative may not have the intended outcome.
(© 2018 Australian Health Promotion Association.)

internal grant Sansom Institute of Health Research; Early Career Researcher International Travel Grant Early Career Researcher International Travel Grant

Keywords: health promotion theory; mass media; physical activity; social marketing

Date Created: 20180911 Date Completed: 20191209 Latest Revision: 20191217

20221213

10.1002/hpja.203

30198198