This article argues that while compliance with disease prevention and control messages should be high given the unique characteristics of this persuasive situation, the data indicate that non compliance is a major social problem. Two communication theories, Language Expectancy Theory and Reinforcement Expectancy Theory, offer promising new conceptualizations of how more compliance can be obtained with health-related messages. Both theories are supported by empirical evidence. Also, ongoing research programs with three psychological predictors (misanthropy, acculturation and sensation-seeking) show promise in providing evidence on how to tailor health-related, compliance-gaining messages to subgroups within the general population.
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