Fear-induced attitude change as a function of conformity and drinking pattern in alcoholics.

Investigated the effectiveness of fear arousal for inducing attitude change toward drinking in alcoholics (N = 38). Fear arousal, whereby aversive consequences are associated with some undesirable target behavior, has proved popular and sometimes effective in persuasive attempts designed to induce attitude change. A communication that linked brain damage with excessive drinking was successful in arousing fear in alcoholics and resulted in a more negative attitude toward their own drinking, but did not affect their attitude toward drinking by others. Attitude change was more pronounced in alcoholics who previously had scored high on a conformity task, but was not related to pattern of drinking. Fear arousal may have a place in alcoholism treatment, although attitude change is not necessarily accompanied by changes in behavior.