The Persuasive Impact of Narrative Richness in Antibiotic Stewardship Communication: The Roles of Emotions, Psychological Distance, and Self-Referencing

This study examines how narrative richness—defined as detail and elaboration in characters, plot, and context—shapes persuasive outcomes in antibiotic stewardship messaging. In a single-factor experiment (N = 1,264), compared to lean narratives or statistics, rich narratives most effectively elicited fear through heightened transportation, although they did not outperform lean narratives in evoking guilt. Fear increased risk perception through reduced psychological distance and greater self-referencing; guilt was positively associated with both. Elevated risk perception predicted more favorable attitudes and stronger behavioral intentions. These findings offer theoretical and practical implications for science communication strategies to promote antibiotic stewardship and other health behaviors.