Addressing Theoretical Concerns Regarding the EPPM: The Utility of Integrating Perceived Barrier and Response Cost Measures into the Extended Parallel Process Model

The Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM) is a theory developed by communication scientists studying fear appeals. The EPPM is widely utilized by health communication, health psychology, and public health scholars. It is a powerful model that is capable of providing insight on why individuals are likely to accept or reject fear appeal messages. However, previous research has identified several theoretical concerns about the predictive power of the EPPM. Adopting the concerns expressed in previous studies as a theoretical framework, two separate studies were conducted to assess the validity of incorporating perceived barrier and response costs constructs to the EPPM. Regression analyses from both studies suggest that the predictive power of the EPPM will not be improved by incorporating these additional variables.