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College undergraduate smokers and nonsmokers were exposed to a persuasive anti-smoking communication. Measures were taken of their emotional arousal, attitudes toward smoking, perceived attitudes of family and friends, and intentions to engage in a variety of smoking-related activities. A follow-up measure of their behavior was taken one to two weeks af tar-ward. It was predicted that the influence of emotional state upon intentions and behavior would be indirect, being mediated through attitudes toward smoking. Attitudes and normative (family and friends') beliefs were expected to predict intentions, which were expected to predict actual behaviors. The results supported Leventhal (1970) and Fishbein and Ajzen (1975). Emotional state was independent of attitudes, perceived attitudes of family and friends, and all but one intention. Attitude-intention consistency was observed for all responses, while intention-behavior consistency was limited to two responses. Family attitudes predicted intentions to cut down on the amount smoked and stop smoking altogether. Intention-behavior inconsistency was discussed in terms of barriers that may inter fere with accomplishing one's intentions, and measurement issues which may distort the observed relationship between verbal intentions and subsequent actions.

A conceptual replication and extension of Giesen and Hendrick's (1974) false physiological feedback experiment was performed. Bogus heart rate of different intensities as well as meter feedback indicative of affective types of arousal was presented to smokers and nonsmokers as they viewed an anti-smoking communication. Consistent with Giesen and Hendrick's intensity hypothesis, intensity feedback facilitated message acceptance while the type of feedback had no effect, but for nonsmokers only. This suggests that false feedback facilitates persuasion only for topics which subjects do not find directly relevant or of personal concern. For smokers, the false feedback appeared to inhibit persuasion, suggesting a resistance effect. The attributional significance of false physiological feedback is discussed.

Over 700 college students were measured with the Jenkins Activity Survey (JAS) along with eleven other personality scales in an attempt to identify the personality correlates of this scale. These eleven personality variables were analyzed to determine their contribution to a discriminant solution between extreme high scores (supposedly true Type A's) and low scores (supposedly true Type B's) as measured by the JAS. The results revealed that relative to those subjects who were classified as Type B's, those classified as Type A's exhibited significantly greater status concern, less alexithymia, more misanthropy and greater life satisfaction. Self-esteem and related self-concepts did not differ significantly between these two groups. These findings challenge the validity of this instrument as a measure of Type A trait.

The effects of different types of risk information in a simulated decision-making task were investigated to test the predictions of protection motivation theory. In accordance with predictions, outcome severity, efficacy of protection, and access to protection were related to protective decisions. The results are discussed in terms of general utility of this model for a variety of decision-making situations. The aspect of manageability, which is seen as a combination of efficacy of protection and access to protection, was discussed as an essential component for risk decision making.