The potential power of identification in promoting condom use: Assessing the effect of imprinting condoms with organizationally significant symbols on the behavioral intention of fraternity-identified and university-identified males to use condoms

Mark John Di Corcia, Purdue University

Abstract

Although the world is entering the fourth decade of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, there is still a great deal of campaign work that needs to be done regarding prevention, treatment, education, and more recently living with HIV infection. However, there are new challenges for campaign designers, who often rely on some form of fear appeal to foster behavior change, because perceptions of the disease itself and one's susceptibility to the disease have been altered by medications that have changed HIV from a certain death to a chronic illness as well as the alarming rate of HIV infections in nonstereotypical high-risk groups such as younger (ages 15-29), heterosexuals, located in the Midwest. These types of changes required an exploration into the use of different theoretical models to promote condom use and compliance. This study, positioned as the intersection of health and organizational communication research, examined the effects of eliciting organizational identification with condoms as a novel and effective method of promoting condom use and compliance among fraternity-identified (FI) and universityidentified (UI) males at a large Midwestern university. Study 1 was a qualitative pilot study of thirteen members from eight different fraternities about their identification with their fraternity, their university, and an evaluation 3 different types of condoms (i.e., standard condom, university-identified condom, and fraternity-identified condom) that make organizational identification salient. The focus of the condom evaluation served as a manipulation check for the condom advertisements as well as to assess if identification was strong enough to impact condom attitudes, subjective norm and communication self-efficacy for each of the condom types. Study 2 was a quantitative study of two hundred forty eight university-identified and one hundred forty five fraternity-identified participants' sexual history, HIV/AIDS knowledge and prevention, and organizational identification with their university and fraternity, when applicable. Participants were then assigned to one of the three condom conditions and completed condom attitude, norms, and communication self-efficacy questionnaires. Overall, FI condoms and UI condoms were unable to statistically create a measurable difference in condom attitudes, subjective norm, self-efficacy, or intention to use a novel condom over a standard condom. However, several of the hypotheses showed promise, although not statistically significant, in that the means indicated: (a) fraternity members demonstrated a more positive attitude toward the FI condom campaign than the UI campaign, (b) fraternity members demonstrated a more positive attitude toward the FI condom campaign than the standard campaign, (c) fraternity members did perceive their brothers as more likely to use FI condoms than UI condoms, (d) fraternity members did perceive their brothers as more likely to use FI condoms than standard condoms, and (e) university members did perceive their peers as more likely to use a UI condom than a standard condom. Perhaps with a larger sample size statistical significance might be achieved. In regards to organizational identification the study found three significant findings: (a) novel condom advertisements that expressed a participant's organizational identification produced a greater positive affective response than a standard condom advertisement, (b) that fraternity members have a greater identification with their fraternity than the university, and (c) that FI members have a greater identification with the fraternity than UI members have with the university. Additionally, specific deficits were identified regarding FI and UI knowledge of HIV/AIDS such as: (a) modes of transmission to a female partner such as unprotected anal sex with a man, sex during menses, unprotected oral sex with a man, (b) modes of transmission to a male partner such as unprotected oral sex on a woman via vaginal fluids, (c) modes of nontransmission from deep kissing, (d) effective prevention methods such as the use of bleach or using a female condom, (e) ineffective prevention methods such as use of lambskin condoms, use of oil or Vaseline with latex condoms, douching after sex, and (f) consequences of infections such as length of time someone can be HIV+ before getting AIDS and that drugs are available to treat AIDS. Implications and limitations of the study's findings, as well as directions for future research, were discussed.

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

Morgan, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Public health

COinS