In this experiment as part of the ‘experiments series’ in which we decode and decipher the science of influence we look at how powerful fear can be if used correctly to influence others.

Some of these experiments have been featured in Duncan’s best selling Effective Influence book, available now on Amazon. 

Let me pose a question:

Are you influenced by fear as a motivator for you to take action or change your behaviour?

YES / NO

The experiment:

Let me be clear. I don’t endorse, fear, threats, violence or any form or bullying behaviour in order to influence others. However, with the correct approach, finesse and elegance, influencing others through fear can be an extremely powerful principle of persuasion.

In 1965, health researcher Howard Leventhal conducted an experiment to understand if fear based advertising or communication as a method of influence, could actually motivate someone into taking action.

Leventhal started his experiment by separating participants into 4 different groups and instructing each group to read a differently constructed pamphlet outlining tetanus.

The pamphlets were composed of two sections. The first section focussed on the causes of tetanus and included a case history of a tetanus patient. Leventhal described this as the fear section. The second section was a recommendation section. This portion focussed on the importance of being inoculated to help prevent the disease. Leventhal and his researchers produced 4 versions of these pamphlets, also including a high fear and low fear message. Additionally, they created specific and non-specific recommendations on how to go about booking a tetanus jab. Furthermore, Leventhal also arranged for another pamphlet to be produced to act as a control which contained no warnings about tetanus and no detailed plan on how to get the tetanus jab either.

At the conclusion of the experiment, the result found that those participants who read the high fear pamphlets were the most motivated to take action. However, this was only the case if it included a clear and specific action plan detailing how they could be vaccinated, thereby reducing their fear of tetanus which would have almost certainly have resulted them in doing nothing.

This study can be applied outside of the psychology experiment lab too – specifically in the world of advertising. First, you should communicate the threat posed to the success of a company or industry. Follow this communication of ‘fear’ up this with specific actionable steps that the consumer can take to alleviate or resolve the danger or problem.

You can enhance this even further when attempting to influence your target market by eliciting hope from them that you can help them overcome their problems.

If you were to apply this into a piece of advertising, it is worth considering this structure.

To create a persuasive or influential call-to-action, first, you should start by incorporating the thing that they both desire and fear the most into one sentence starting with ‘How to’ (do something).

This should then be followed by inserting the preposition ‘without’ in the middle of the sentence. In the example detailed above which focussed on tetanus, you could use this persuasive formula to write the following:

“How to avoid getting tetanus, without wrapping yourself in cotton wool!”

or

“How to prevent the spread of tetanus, without ending up in hospital!”

Here, both these sentences suggest that the target audience may fear extra caution to prevent them getting tetanus. Similarly, the second example, if they don’t take precautionary measures they may end up in hospital. The thing that the target audience would want most of course – is not to get tetanus.

Decoding a deciphering the experiment to make us a better influencer.

Whilst fear is not something that should be rolled out in every situation, it can certainly can be persuasive! When applied correctly it can be extremely influential. Fear does however, sit under the umbrella of behavioural or personality data alongside the OCEAN model mentioned in one of my other micro-masterclasses and other more common principles of persuasion.

Scaring people using a fear-based approach to influence without providing specific, actionable steps can actually influence the target audience not to take action. As a result, if ‘fear’ is used, it should be used with caution and sensitivity.

Using fear to successfully influence others can be applied across all sectors of society and not just in the field of healthcare. That said, it is particularly powerful in this sector as people health and ultimately, life and death is a powerful motivator and influencer for someone to take action.

For example if you are a nurse or doctor and have a patient who is overweight, it is often insufficient to explain that they are on course to having a heart attack, cardiovascular disease or diabetes. There is a high chance they that they are already aware of this and have simply ‘blocked it out of their consciousness’ as it is their reaction to fear.

Using the approach detailed in the experiment, it is far more persuasive to explain to the patient about side-effects of what may happen if they remain overweight. These suggestions should then be accompanied by a specific, measurable and time-focussed plan to give them a direction and goal – that of losing weight. In this example it would focus on dietary changes and an exercise regime.

Whilst influencing others through fear is often used by some, it is largely ineffective in the long term in the work place. Turnover is likely to be much higher in workplaces where employees are motivated by fear. There are many other more strategic approaches to influence to bring about change as well as ensure a positive and motivated workforce. To learn more and to enquire about hiring Duncan to speak at your event or to arrange a masterclass, get in touch using the button below: