The Role of Cognitive Responses as Mediators of Alcohol Warning Label Effects

Warning label cognitive responses are tested as mediators of effects of five different alcohol warning label types on label attitudes and net support arguments mediated the relationship from attitude toward drinking to label attitudes.

Abstract

The authors examine an important public policy issue, namely, the effectiveness of federally mandated and proposed alcohol warning labels. Specifically, warning label cognitive responses are tested as mediators of effects of five different alcohol warning label types on label attitudes. On the basis of requirements for ANOVA-based mediation, net support arguments mediated 76% of the warning label treatment effect on label attitudes. Following requirements for regression-based mediation, net support arguments mediated the relationship from attitude toward drinking to label attitudes. Public policy implications and future research directions are provided.