Can Familiar Fictional Worlds Promote Health Through Buffering Belongingness Threats?

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2020-09-29

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Experiencing a threat to belonging increases the desire to engage in negative health behaviors. Past research on symbolic social bonds has demonstrated that visual narratives can provide the experience of belonging and buffer against relationship threats. Accordingly, the current study investigates whether writing and thinking about favorite TV programs/movies decreases the desire to participate in negative health behaviors (e.g., eating unhealthy foods, drinking alcohol, and using marijuana and non-prescribed drugs) and increases the desire to engage in healthy habits (e.g., exercising) through buffering belongingness threats. We will adopt a 2 (Reliving Essay: Rejection vs. Recent Meal) X 2 (Symbolic Social Bonds Essay: Favorite vs. Non-favorite TV Program/Movie) between-subjects design. Approximately 240 undergraduates will be recruited and randomly assigned to condition. We predict that engaging with a favorite television program/movie will mitigate the negative effects of a rejection experience on the intention to engage in healthy and unhealthy behaviors. The results of the current study will contribute to the existing literature on symbolic social bonds and will provide practical implications for public health interventions.

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