Weiner's Attribution-Emotion-Action Model: Uncovering the Mediating Role of Self-Blame and the Moderating Effect of the Helper's Responsibility for the Help Recipient's Behavior.

Seven preregistered experimental studies investigated a potential mediator (self-blame) and moderator (the perceived responsibility of the helper for the help recipient's behavior) of Weiner's attribution-emotion-action model. When participants considered a nonchild close other experiencing depression, higher perceived controllability was related to lower sympathy, which correlated with less willingness to provide support; however, among parents considering their child experiencing depression, perceived controllability was either positively associated with sympathy (study 1) or did not influence sympathy (study 2). Offering an explanation, studies 3a/3b indicated a significantly weaker relationship between controllability and responsibility attributions when the target of help was the participant's child. Study 4 investigated the underlying mechanism. Parents experienced self-blame when the cause was controllable, which lowered the association between controllability and responsibility attributions. Studies 5 and 6 revealed this pattern was not specific to the parent-child relationship but occurred whenever the potential helper felt responsible for the help recipient's behavior.

In COVID-19 Health Messaging, Loss Framing Increases Anxiety with Little-to-No Concomitant Benefits: Experimental Evidence from 84 Countries.

The COVID-19 pandemic (and its aftermath) highlights a critical need to communicate health information effectively to the global public. Given that subtle differences in information framing can have meaningful effects on behavior, behavioral science research highlights a pressing question: Is it more effective to frame COVID-19 health messages in terms of potential losses (e.g., "If you do not practice these steps, you can endanger yourself and others") or potential gains (e.g., "If you practice these steps, you can protect yourself and others")? Collecting data in 48 languages from 15,929 participants in 84 countries, we experimentally tested the effects of message framing on COVID-19-related judgments, intentions, and feelings. Loss- (vs. gain-) framed messages increased self-reported anxiety among participants cross-nationally with little-to-no impact on policy attitudes, behavioral intentions, or information seeking relevant to pandemic risks. These results were consistent across 84 countries, three variations of the message framing wording, and 560 data processing and analytic choices. Thus, results provide an empirical answer to a global communication question and highlight the emotional toll of loss-framed messages. Critically, this work demonstrates the importance of considering unintended affective consequences when evaluating nudge-style interventions.

An empirical examination of the biogenetic approach in schizophrenia stigma reduction through an attribution lens.

BACKGROUND: The biogenetic approach in mental health stigmatization reduction has received increased attention. Taking the perspective of Weiner's attribution theory, the biogenetic explanations can be helpful in reducing the perceptions of controllability of mental illnesses (e.g., schizophrenia). However, recent studies reveal that biogenetic explanations may increase social stigma and discrimination against people with schizophrenia. AIMS: The current research, using Weiner's attribution theory, empirically examined the effects of biogenetic beliefs on the desire for social distance via perceptions of controllability and stability of schizophrenia using a Chinese sample. METHODS: A cross-sectional study (n = 156) and an experiment (n = 124) were carried out. Participants were recruited from an urban city in China. In the experiment, participants were randomly assigned to receive a biogenetic/control lecture and filled out a survey. RESULTS: Biogenetic beliefs had indirect effects on the desire for social distance via decreased perceived controllability and increased perceived stability, which resulted in little to no change on the desire for social distance. CONCLUSION: The biogenetic approach could decrease the perceptions of controllability of schizophrenia which may reduce the desire for social distance; however, it could also increase the perceptions of stability which may increase the desire for social distance, especially among close others. Cautions are warranted when using and disseminating the biogenetic causes of schizophrenia amongin the general public.