Erasmus University Thesis Repository
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The Limits of Fear Appeals
No full textThis paper studies how different intensities of fear appeal in anti-alcohol campaigns
affect perceived trust, message credibility, and the likelihood of quitting alcohol
consumption. As public trust in health institutions continues to decline, due to disinformation
and crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the effectiveness of emotional persuasion in
health communication has become of utmost importance. Drawing on the Extended Parallel
Process Model (EPPM) and the Transtheoretical Model of behaviour change, this study uses
a quantitative, between-subjects experimental design to explore whether different levels of
fear intensity (low, moderate, high) influence viewer responses.
A total of 140 participants, primarily young European adults, were randomly assigned
to view one of three anti-alcohol campaign posters, each reflecting a distinct level of fear
appeal. Following exposure, participants completed validated scales measuring trust
(ADTRUST), message credibility (Appelman's Message Credibility Scale), and likelihood of
quitting (SOCRATES Personal Drinking Questionnaire). The findings were analysed using
one-way ANOVA to test three hypotheses: that high fear reduces trust (H1), moderate fear
increases credibility (H2), and moderate fear increases quitting intentions (H3). The results
offer only partial support for H1: perceived trust was significantly lower in the high-fear
condition compared to the low-fear condition, but there was no significant difference between
high and moderate fear. Neither H2 nor H3 were supported, as no statistically significant
differences were found in message credibility or likelihood of quitting across fear conditions.
These findings challenge assumptions in the literature that moderate fear offers optimal
persuasion and suggest that fear alone may not meaningfully influence trust, credibility, or
behavioural intentions unless accompanied by other factors, such as efficacy cues or message
realism.
The study contributes to both academic and practical discussions on the ethical and
strategic use of fear in health messaging. It proves that public health campaigns relying
heavily on fear appeal must balance emotional impact with rationality and credibility. The
findings highlight the importance of personalising campaigns to audience characteristics such
as age, media literacy, and trust in institutions. In conclusion, Fear-based messages remain a
common tool in anti-alcohol campaigns. However, this research urges a deeper investigation
into persuasion techniques and the many layers and factors that go into making them
effective, in order to optimise public health communication
Gezondheid als leidend motief voor gebiedsontwikkeling?
No full textGezondheid is een thema dat steeds vaker terugkomt in gebiedsontwikkelingsopgaven. Enerzijds ingegeven vanuit een steeds groter wordend besef van de gevolgen van mondiale vraagstukken zoals klimaatverandering en het beleid en de regelging die opgesteld is om hier mee om te gaan. Zo werken de Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) door in Europese en landelijke wet- en regelgeving. Anderzijds spelen sociaaleconomische overwegingen door de problematiek van de vergrijzing, stijgende zorgkosten door veranderende leefstijl en tekorten aan (zorg)personeel een rol. Het integreren van gezondheidsdoelstellingen in gebiedsontwikkeling kost geld. In de uitvoeringspraktijk staan de financiën van gebiedsontwikkelingen echter nu al onder druk (o.a. Heurkens e.a., 2020; Verdaas e.a., 2022; van Lieshout et al., 2023; IBO Woningbouw en grond, 2024), dus is het de vraag wie er bereid is te betalen voor een gezonde(re) leefomgeving. In hoeverre leiden gezondheidsdoelstellingen voor de leefomgeving tot een grotere investeringsbereidheid van partijen in gebiedsontwikkeling?
Om deze vraag te beantwoorden is op basis van de theorie een theoretisch analysemodel voor gezonde gebiedsontwikkeling samengesteld, met hierin de belangrijkste gezondheidsdeterminanten en investeringsmotieven. Vervolgens is een meervoudige casestudie uitgevoerd en zijn expertinterviews gehouden om dit model empirisch te toetsen
Integrated Analysis of the Impact of Corridor Development: Case Study – The Lobito Corridor
No full textIgniting Positive Change and Action: Optimizing the Impact of Environmental Documentaries
No full textA Business Model Approach: Synergising the Capture of Economic and Environmental Value through PaaS
No full text
Navigating the complexities of scaling: the role of the top management team during scaling
No full textPrescribing Sustainability
No full textWithin The Netherlands, the healthcare industry is responsible for 7.3 percent of the national
climate change footprint. Within a hospital, the procurement of medicines is a significant
contributor to a hospital’s carbon footprint. This illustrates there is much to win in the reduction
of the carbon footprint associated with the procurement of medicine. This thesis explores how
economic, environmental, and social sustainability can be integrated into the procurement of
medicine for the purchasing group of Dutch academic hospitals (UMCPG) to ultimately decrease
this footprint. Recently, the UMCPG introduced a Pilot Supplier Questionnaire (PSQ) including
sustainability criteria as a tool to achieve a more sustainable supplier selection process. Semistructured interviews with both purchasers and suppliers revealed key challenges in the PSQ and
corresponding tendering process. Findings on the PSQ reveal a lack of understanding about the
goal and context of the PQ and its questions, the need for transparency about the outcome of the
tender, the need for objectivity in the evaluation of the PSQ, and the desire for a uniform supplier
questionnaire across purchasing parties. Findings on the tendering process reveal the
complexities of the PSC that impact both parties like drastic medicine shortages, price
competition, keeping general healthcare costs low, ensuring high patient safety, and the price
tag of sustainability. The theoretical foundation of this thesis builds upon the Theory of Planned
Behaviour for green procurement behaviour. Findings reveal that purchasers’ have a positive
attitude towards sustainability and green procurement, work-related stakeholders convey the
norm for keeping medicine procurement costs low, the sense of behavioural control is biggest as
being part of the UMCPG rather than on individual level, and the intention to engage in green
procurement is generally positive like the purchasers’ attitude. Based on the findings, the
following solutions are designed for the UMCPG: 1) a renewed supplier questionnaire (TSQ)
including categories, 2) a decision hierarchy, 3) ‘rebranding’ the procurement process, 4) a
recommendation for tender transparency, and 5) suggestions for improving the TSQ including
example question types and directions for moving towards a uniform TSQ across purchasing
parties. Social sustainability criteria were eventually excluded in the TSQ design, since too little
information was gathered on social sustainability during the interviews
Cultural Identity Reconstruction Through Taiwanese Period TV Dramas
No full textIn recent years, Taiwanese period TV dramas have gained prominence from not only its entertainment value but also the transmission of history and cultural narratives. These dramas integrate rich narratives, visual authenticity, and historical contexts, providing young Taiwanese people an opportunity to engage with and reinterpret the complicated cultural identity. However, although prior studies have examined how media affect cultural understanding, there were limited focus on how these media actively assist the reconstruction of cultural identity, especially for digital-native audiences. This research addresses this gap by answering the question: How do young Taiwanese people reconstruct cultural identity from the perspective of interpreting period dramas?
Grounded in cultural memory theory and audience reception theory, this study conducted qualitative research and in-depth semi-structure interviews with 12 young Taiwanese who have watched at least two Taiwanese period TV dramas. Thematic analysis was applied in this research to interpret how period dramas influenced participants' understandings of Taiwanese history, values, and cultural identity.
The finding shows that Taiwanese period TV dramas can be a device of cultural memory to fill generation gap and be supplement of history education. Participants demonstrated that these dramas allow them to immerse in historical atmosphere, understand social transformation, emotionally connect to past eras. Key themes emerging from the data include the impact of narrative techniques and audio-visual immersion, emotional engagement through nostalgia and empathy, intergenerational reflection, and the active formation of collective memory and Taiwanese identity. Additionally, participants expressed critical consciousness to political and cultural biases in the dramas.
This study concludes that Taiwanese period TV dramas are not just entertainment but also an influential tool to reinforce young audiences' reinterpretation and reconstruction of cultural identity. Through the engagement of dramatized history, audiences are able to understand the evolution of Taiwan's culture and politics and negotiate their own identity in contemporary societal and historical framework. This research contributes to the broader academic discussions of media, cultural identity, and memory, offering lens of Taiwan to explore how media mediate the formation of identity in digitally connected society
Communicating Brand Identity: In-Person Experience in Art Museums
No full textIn this thesis, I introduce and test a novel research design to study how art museums develop and convey their brand identity through their physical environment, with a focus on in-person experience design. Specifically, this process centers on the observation of sensory elements, spatial arrangements, architectural choices, curatorial practices, and commercial interfaces. The methodology is structured as a comparative case study between two Dutch museums: Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam's Museumplein.
The central research question "How do art museums utilize in-person experience designs to craft and communicate their distinct brand identity?" is addressed by means of qualitative research. The methodology is composed of sensory ethnographic observation as a method to collect data, data analysis is conducted by means of thematic analysis.
Findings reveal an intricate interplay between explicit and implicit strategies. Rijksmuseum projects an identity based on institutional authority rooted in national heritage, while Van Gogh Museum conveys a more emotional identity based on empathy and authentic connections.
Theoretically grounded in a multifaceted understanding of the museum experience, and employing two established frameworks - Retail Experience Analytical Framework's dimensions (Paik & Lee, 2020, p. 469) and the Brand Identity Prism (Kapferer, 1992, pp. 43-49) - this study offers insights into museums' strategies to leverage physical space with the aim to communicate their unique brand identity