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Cited by 51Behavioral Health and InterventionsMedia Influence and HealthDeath Anxiety and Social Exclusion

The Impact of Self‐Affirmation on Health‐Related Cognition and Health Behaviour: Issues and Prospects

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Harris, Peter R., Epton, Tracy·2010·Social and Personality Psychology Compass
DOI 10.1111/j.1751-9004.2010.00270.x
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Abstract

In a recent paper (Harris & Epton, Social and Personality Psychology Compass , 2009; 3 , 962–978), we reviewed the evidence showing that self‐affirming – the act of reflecting upon cherished values or attributes – can reduce resistance to health‐risk information. In this companion paper, we extend the discussion of issues arising from that review and describe key questions for future research. Overall, we regard the picture emerging from this nascent literature as encouraging. Nevertheless, more needs to be discovered about how self‐affirming achieves its effects and their limits. Despite lowering an important barrier to health behaviour change by reducing message resistance, there is currently only limited evidence that self‐affirming changes subsequent health behaviour. We consider why. We also discuss issues to address in interventions involving self‐affirmation and examine evidence that self‐affirming alters relationships between variables. There is also scope for extending the range of samples, health information and health behaviours examined and for assessing more spontaneous self‐affirmation.

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  • But long-term effects on behavior have been mixed.

    “But long-term effects on behavior have been mixed (Harris & Epton 2010).”

    From The Psychology of Change: Self-Affirmation and Social Psychological Intervention (2014) · cites this paper as Harris & Epton 2010

    In “So, why is there only limited evidence to date about effects on behaviour?” (page not provided), the review reports one successful study but says most studies found no effect on health behaviour. That supports mixed findings on behaviour, but not specifically long-term effects: it says the longest behavioural follow-up was one month. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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  • This effect has been confirmed in many studies.

    “This effect has been confirmed in many studies (for reviews, see Harris & Epton 2009, 2010;Sherman & Hartson 2011).”

    From The Psychology of Change: Self-Affirmation and Social Psychological Intervention (2014) · cites this paper as Harris & Epton 2010

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Research works printed but not linked: 31

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Authors
Harris, P. R., & Epton, T.
Affiliations
University of Sheffield (GB)
ORCID
Venue
Social and Personality Psychology Compass
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2010-07
Volume
4
Issue
7
Pages
439-454
ISSN
1751-9004 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1111/j.1751-9004.2010.00270.x
OpenAlex
W2122448288
Cited by
51
References
17
Citations by year
2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2022: 4 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 2
FWCI
9.16
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor, 1 d)
Locations
  • Social and Personality Psychology Compass (publishedVersion)
  • Research Explorer (The University of Manchester) (publishedVersion)
  • White Rose Research Online (University of Leeds, The University of Sheffield, University of York) (acceptedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Behavioral Health and Interventions
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Literature and Literary Theory › Media Influence and Health
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion
Keywords
self-affirmation, health behavior change, health interventions, medical data processing

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