How Gay and Bisexual Men Respond to Mpox Messages through Risk- Versus Identity-Based Mechanisms: An Integrated Model

Gaylord National 

To reduce the risk of transmission in the mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) outbreak, it is crucial for public health organizations and mass media to provide accurate, tailored, and culturally sensitive risk communication that does not stigmatize minority communities. In an online experiment (N = 372), we tested a theory-informed integrated model that examined gay and bisexual men's response to risk communication about mpox that targeted the ingroup (ingroup-framed) versus the general population (general-framed). Gay and bisexual men who received an ingroup-framed risk message had stronger protective behavioral intention through heightened risk perception. However, this intended effect of risk message framing on promoting protective behavioral intention was negated by an unintended effect through perceived morality threat to sexual identity and defensive processing. These effects further varied depending on people's level of identification with their sexuality. Our findings highlight the importance of considering the social identity implications of risk communication.