The effect of emotional appeal on seafarers' safety behaviour: An extended health belief model

Introduction: This study identifies the factors influencing seafarers' safety behaviour and examines their interrelationships by synthesising theoretical insights from the health belief model and emotional appeal theory. Emotional appeals are positive or negative persuasive messages that are used to create an emotional response by emphasising the benefits or consequences of exhibiting or not exhibiting safety behaviour. Methods: A survey questionnaire was designed and administered on 227 seafarers of different nationalities. They represent three shipping companies and four ship management companies located in Singapore. The obtained data were analysed using structural equation modelling. The results were tested for non-response bias and corrected for common method bias using the marker variable technique. Bootstrapping was conducted to test mediation effects. Results: Components of the health belief model which include perceived threat, outcome expectation, self-efficacy and cues to action have significant, positive effects on seafarers' safety behaviour. Further, emotional appeals complement and reinforce the health belief model to explain safety behaviour. For instance, negative appeal acts as a stimulus that influences safety behaviour directly or indirectly via certain components of the health belief model such as seafarers' perceived threat of an accident and outcome expectation. Similarly, positive appeal directly and indirectly influences safety behaviour via self-efficacy and outcome expectation. The combination of the health belief model and emotional appeal theory explains for 61% of the variance in seafarers' safety behaviour, after controlling for the effects of training, age, and experience. Conclusions: The current study enriches existing theoretical research on safety behaviour by synthesising cognitive and affect theories. In addition, the study draws important implications on safety management such as training and education. It also implicates communication policies of shipping companies.