ABSTRACT This paper tests how certainty conveyed through language can be harnessed to enhance the effectiveness of health risk messages. We conducted experiments with low-income, adult smokers (n = 317) and middle schoolers (n = 321) on pictorial cigarette warning labels. We manipulated hypotheticality of risk through verb modality: present tense, may, can, and will. For adult smokers, present tense led to greater health risk beliefs, compared to hypothetical, among adult males but not females. For youth, contrary to what might seem intuitive, the hypothetical may verb was more effective than the present tense language in promoting health risk beliefs, which was associated with reduced susceptibility to use cigarettes. We discuss the findings in relation applications of construal level theory to health communication.

中文翻译：

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测试特定语言与假设语言在健康风险信息中的影响

摘要 本文测试了如何利用语言传达的确定性来提高健康风险信息的有效性。我们对低收入的成年吸烟者 (n = 317) 和中学生 (n = 321) 进行了关于图片香烟警告标签的实验。我们通过动词模态来操纵风险的假设性：现在时、可能、可以和意志。对于成年吸烟者，在成年男性而非女性中，与假设相比，现在时会导致更大的健康风险信念。对于年轻人来说，与可能看起来很直观的情况相反，假设可能动词在促进健康风险信念方面比现在时态语言更有效，这与降低使用香烟的易感性有关。我们讨论了解释水平理论在健康传播中的相关应用的发现。