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Addressing the Texting and Driving Epidemic: Mortality Salience Priming Effects on Attitudes and Behavioral Intentions

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  • IOANNIS KAREKLAS
  • DARREL D. MUEHLING

Abstract

type="main" xml:id="joca12039-abs-0001"> Texting while driving is becoming a problem of epidemic proportion, causing thousands of fatalities each year. However, surprisingly few academic studies to date have examined this issue in a social marketing context. We address this research void by reporting the findings of two empirical studies—the first, an exploratory study of drivers' perceptions of texting while driving; the second, an experimental examination of the relative effectiveness of mortality salience (MS) primes in public service announcements (PSAs). Employing theory derived from the MS literature, we find that when verbal and/or visual cues to death/dying were used, participants' attitudes and behavioral intentions were altered in a positive direction. As compared to a control group, the primed PSAs produced less favorable attitudes and reduced intentions to text while driving in the future. Implications of these findings for consumers, social marketers, and policymakers are discussed, and future research directions are provided.

Suggested Citation

  • Ioannis Kareklas & Darrel D. Muehling, 2014. "Addressing the Texting and Driving Epidemic: Mortality Salience Priming Effects on Attitudes and Behavioral Intentions," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(2), pages 223-250, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jconsa:v:48:y:2014:i:2:p:223-250
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1111/joca.12039
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    1. Naletelich, Kelly & Ketron, Seth & Alejandro Gelves, J., 2023. "Curbing texting & driving with advertising co-creation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    2. Wendy Attaya Boland & Ingrid M. Martin & Marlys J. Mason, 2020. "In search of well‐being: Factors influencing the movement toward and away from maladaptive consumption," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(4), pages 1178-1194, December.
    3. Magdalena Cismaru & Kate Nimegeers, 2017. "“Keep your eyes up, don’t text and drive”: a review of anti-texting while driving Campaigns’ recommendations," International Review on Public and Nonprofit Marketing, Springer;International Association of Public and Non-Profit Marketing, vol. 14(1), pages 113-135, March.
    4. Yusuke Hayashi & Anne M Foreman & Jonathan E Friedel & Oliver Wirth, 2019. "Threat appeals reduce impulsive decision making associated with texting while driving: A behavioral economic approach," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(3), pages 1-19, March.
    5. S. Venus Jin & Ehri Ryu, 2022. "“The greedy I that gives”—The paradox of egocentrism and altruism: Terror management and system justification perspectives on the interrelationship between mortality salience and charitable donations ," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 56(1), pages 414-448, March.
    6. Karen M. HOOD & Christine M. KOWALCZYK & Christopher D. HOPKINS & Daniel PADGETT, 2017. "A Multi-Method Approach to Understanding Behavior Change. The Case of Texting and Driving," Expert Journal of Marketing, Sprint Investify, vol. 5(2), pages 78-91.

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