| Abstract | The study of persuasive emotional appeals has historically been focused on negative emotional appeals. However, positive emotional appeals may also be effective in persuasive health message design. Hope is a positive emotion that focuses on the possibility of a favorable outcome, even if that outcome may be unlikely (Lazarus, 2001). An investigation on the persuasive effects of hope appeals and their moderating variables is called for. A comprehensive search of six databases was conducted to identify potential eligible published and unpublished studies. The keywords used to retrieve the literature include hope, optimis*, future-orient*, persua*, and appeal. In total, 1,303 studies were retrieved from this search which were then coded. 15 qualified studies were found. These studies were analyzed and results found that although hope appeals did not have an overall significant effect on persuasion outcomes, the control and outcomes measured did. Specifically, when a hope appeal was paired with a control group using a non-emotional appeal the hope appeal had a positive effect. Similarly, hope appeals increased both perceived message effectiveness and information seeking. |
