AEGiS-APPJ: The Role of the Mass Media and Interpersonal Communication in Promoting AIDS-Related Behavioral Change

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1989. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

The Role of the Mass Media and Interpersonal Communication in Promoting AIDS-Related Behavioral Change

AIDS & Public Policy Journal 4, no. 1 (1989): 3-9
Timothy Edgar, Sharon Lee Hammond, and Vicki S. Freimuth

In this essay, we, as communication researchers, argue that the causal chain that occurs between exposure to messages and behavior modification is much too complex to support this assumption. Flay and associates, for instance, describe the relationship between exposure and behavior change as a series of steps: (1) exposure will lead to awareness, but only when the message is heeded; (2) awareness will lead to changes in knowledge, but only when the message is comprehended; (3) changes in knowledge will lead to changes in beliefs, but only if the arguments or conclusions of the message are accepted; and (4) changes in beliefs might lead to changes in attitudes, intentions, and ultimately, behavior. If the audience is to move through this process successfully, communication must be effective at both the mass and interpersonal levels. Unfortunately, barriers exist at both levels. We examine these communication constraints on the mass media from the perspective of the news media, which are the main sources of AIDS awareness for the general public, and from the perspective of planned media campaigns designed to increase knowledge and change beliefs about AIDS. Also, we discuss issues related to communication at the interpersonal level, where individuals must cooperate with one another to enact desired behaviors.
890115
APPJ894102

AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted grants from Boehringer Ingelheim, Elton John AIDS Foundation, Bridgestone/Firestone Charitable Trust, the National Library of Medicine, and donations from users like you. Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 1989. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.

AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.

Copyright ©1986, 1989. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .