Introduction
For many years, smoking has remained a significant public health problem for the indigenous Australian people. For instance, according to a report published in The Conversation, about 57 Aboriginal people in this country die daily due to tobacco (Heris et al., 2023). For this community and Torres Strait Islander people, this drug is considered the single most significant preventable risk factor for disease and premature death, accounting for more than a third of all deaths (Heris et al., 2023). Moreover, about 10,000 individuals have died in the last decade due to it (Heris et al., 2020).
These statistics, along with more information available on various sites worldwide, suggest that this is a significant problem that requires comprehensive efforts from multiple stakeholders. These include direct medical services and interventions, as well as an approach that focuses on their cultural and social determinants of health. This paper explores the psychological principles underlying the design of the “Indigenous smoke-free” campaign and how these principles are expected to influence individuals to reduce their smoking rates.
Campaign
The campaign that will be developed for curbing smoking among the Indigenous people will be called the “Indigenous smoke-free.” This will be an effort by the Australian government to incorporate the power of communication and public awareness. This movement’s primary objective will be to reduce smoking uptake among marginalized youths aged between 12 and 25 and increase cessation among adults over 18. It recognizes how early intervention can go a long way in solving an issue and providing the necessary support to those already affected.
Psychological Principles in the Campaign
Social Identity Theory
The first psychological principle that will be utilized in this campaign is the social identity theory. It was developed in 1979 by Henry Tajfel and his colleagues (Charness & Chen, 2020). It explains “intergroup behavior and communication based on the inherent value humans place on social group memberships, and their desire to view their specific social groups in a positive light” (Harwood, 2020, p. 1).
The theory aims to define how people create and justify their place in society. The model highlights three psychological processes that it assumes to be the core of how individuals define their place among others: social comparison, social categorization, and social identification (Harwood, 2020). Every person has to experience it as long as they live in a community with others.
Social categorization involves a person perceiving themselves and others around them based on some grouping. For example, one can regard someone else as a feminist, a football fan, or a rich man. On the other hand, social comparison involves an individual trying to determine their relative value or standing in relation to themselves and others (Harwood, 2020). For instance, one can view a lawyer as an individual in a higher social position than a school teacher. Compared with politicians, lawyers can also be judged as belonging to the lower class.
Lastly, social identification refers to the idea that people do not view social situations as detached observers. They deem themselves in relation to other groups around them (Harwood, 2020). Therefore, the social identity theory is presented as the result of these three processes.
In the context of this campaign aimed at reducing smoking among Aboriginals in Australia, the theory plays a vital role in developing a message and strategies that will be appropriate. The social identity model posits that when people perceive themselves as belonging to a particular group, they derive a part of their identity from it (Harwood, 2020). Therefore, in the case of this issue, the movement portrays the Australian Indigenous as close-knit, supportive groups with shared community bonds and cultural heritage.
By doing this, the “Indigenous smoke-free” crusade taps into one of the basic human needs that everyone demands: inclusion in society. It highlights that when they quit smoking, they will not have to deal with it individually but with those around them. This gives them a sense of belonging that motivates them to stop the bad behavior and encourage a “non-smoker” culture within their residents. It leverages the idea that this call for action is a positive norm for all.
Health Belief Model
The Health Belief Model (HBM) is another theory that can be applied to the campaign. According to Karl et al. (2022), HBM was initially developed in the 1950s to help predict human behavior. It is based on the idea that when a person is willing to change their behavior, they often derive motivation from their perceptions of health (Karl et al., 2022). Irwin Rosenstock, Godfrey Hochbaum, and others proposed it. He highlighted that an individual’s health-related decision is a product of six key components: perceived severity, susceptibility, benefits, barriers, self-efficacy, and cues to action (Luquis & Kensinger, 2019). It has been utilized for decades to help create an intervention for people to change some of the negative things they get involved in daily.
The “Indigenous smoke-free” campaign utilizes this theory to help these individuals quit smoking. It focuses on the perceived susceptibility and severity of tobacco use, especially among youths between 12 and 25. Therefore, when people continue to indulge in this habit, they increase their risk of developing different illnesses. Some of these ailments include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic bronchitis, emphysema, heart disease, lung diseases, and cancer (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2020). It also increases the risk of developing various conditions, such as tuberculosis, immune system disorders, including rheumatoid arthritis, and certain eye complications (Heris et al., 2020).
Many people who do not smoke are exposed to the risk of tobacco from secondhand smoke. For example, around 400 infant deaths are recorded as a result of passive smoking around the globe (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2020). When exposed to it, kids are at elevated risk of acute respiratory infections, infant death syndrome, middle ear disease, and more.
This campaign will personalize this message to make the Aboriginal people believe that continuing this behavior makes them more likely to experience adverse health repercussions. It will personalize this message and make it relevant to everyone, highlighting that smoking affects everyone directly or indirectly. By doing this, the movement fosters a stronger perceived susceptibility; it changes an act because it increases some risk (Karl et al., 2022). Moreover, when it portrays what this person relates to and how they are increasing the impacts, it gives them a personal touch of the severity of tobacco smoking.
Emotional Appeal
In advertising, emotional appeal is a marketing strategy to establish a connection between the product or service and the customer. It is believed that when this happens, consumers are more likely to purchase it without their conscious and rational brains (Sandoval & García‐Madariaga, 2023). In this campaign, the communication specialist at a central advertising agency will harness this principle through visual imagery, storytelling, and positive health messages that evoke feelings of hope, compassion, empathy, and pride in people. This strategy will work since Sandoval and García‐Madariaga (2023) note that humans often prioritize avoiding pain over gaining pleasure. It will try to paint a picture of how stopping the behavior will have many benefits in their lives.
In this context, the campaign will feature personal success stories from others, particularly those from their communities. When someone who shares the same bond and culture with them quits smoking completely and talks to them about it, they are more likely to be compelled to try it. The stories will highlight these individuals’ challenges and struggles throughout the process and how their lives have taken a positive turn since they made the decision. It will invite the audience to empathize with the protagonist (Sandoval & García‐Madariaga, 2023). The positive health imagery will also include representations of the benefits of quitting this behavior, such as improved health, a stronger connection with family and loved ones, and vitality.
Expected Outcome of the Campaign to the Target Audience
Increased Awareness
The communication specialist designed the “Indigenous smoke-free” campaign based on a deep understanding of psychological principles. One of its expected effects on the target audience is increased awareness. The Health Belief Model, which highlights the consequences of tobacco smoking, both direct and indirect, will ensure that people have the correct information (Ghorbani-Dehbalaei et al., 2021). When these people are cautioned that continuing with their habits increases the risk of chronic diseases, it becomes rooted deeper in their minds. Ultimately, this compels them to make an immediate change in their habit. Additionally, applying social identity theory to portray Aboriginals as supportive in-groups fosters a sense of belonging and inclusion (Paruzel et al., 2020). The audience will find this resonating, making the message more relatable and memorable to them.
Change of Behavior
While this campaign will raise awareness among the indigenous people about the adverse effects of smoking tobacco, its primary aim is to ensure they stop. Therefore, by utilizing the principle of emotional appeal often applied in advertising and the HBM, this movement will motivate a behavior change among them. It will evoke different emotions in the audience, including hope, empathy, and positive imagery, motivating them to seek the necessary support to quit smoking. Martins et al. (2021) note that the first step for anyone who wants to stop this behavior is to make the decision and seek help. Without these individuals making their own decisions, they will not seek intervention. Therefore, the perceived benefits of the non-smoking habit will empower them to take the necessary steps to achieve the goal.
Reduced Smoking Rates
Ultimately, upon giving indigenous people a reason to stop smoking, the rate of those engaging in this behavior will drop significantly. As mentioned earlier, the rate of tobacco consumption among Aboriginals in Australia is significantly high (Thurber et al., 2021). For instance, the daily smoking prevalence among adults is reported as 40.2% and indicated as a leading contributor to the country’s disease burden (Glover et al., 2020).
However, by creating awareness about the dangers of smoking, engaging them emotionally, and motivating them intrinsically in this campaign, they can make healthier choices. This will reduce the number of people engaging in the act, especially those aged between 12 and 25. This effort will increase the percentage of healthy people, and cases of chronic illness will fall.
Reduced Stigma
Stigma often affects people who smoke negatively, especially when they want to seek help. While Lozano et al. (2020) note that increasing stigma compels smokers to quit, it hurts most of them. For instance, according to Ostroff et al. (2022), when acceptance of smokers is normalized, they are more likely to take necessary steps to stop when they understand the impacts they face. Therefore, this campaign employs a humanizing approach to share the success stories of individuals and how they achieved their goals. Ultimately, the audience will be understood by others and reach out for support.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the “Indigenous smoke-free” campaign aims to reduce the smoking rate among the Indigenous people in Australia and ensure they record better health outcomes. This movement is directed by a communication consultant who has underpinned its framework on different psychological principles to help win the target audience. Some of the theories utilized by this initiative include social identity theory, the Health Belief Model, and emotional appeal. They are applied strategically to engage individuals’ feelings and cognitive aspects, creating a culturally sensitive and compelling approach. Doing so will yield numerous benefits, including reducing stigma, increasing awareness, promoting behavioral change, and decreasing smoking rates. It will enable the Australian Government to combat this public health phenomenon and promote the good health of all by changing attitudes and habits related to tobacco consumption.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2020). Health Effects.
Charness, G., & Chen, Y. (2020). Social identity, group behavior, and teams. Annual Review of Economics, 12, 691-713.
Ghorbani-Dehbalaei, M., Loripoor, M., & Nasirzadeh, M. (2021). The role of health beliefs and health literacy in women’s health promoting behaviours based on the health belief model: A descriptive study. BMC Women’s Health, 21(1), 1-9.
Glover, M., Patwardhan, P., & Selket, K. (2020). Tobacco smoking in three “left behind” subgroups: Indigenous, the rainbow community and people with mental health conditions. Drugs and Alcohol Today, 20(3), 263-281.
Harwood, J. (2020). Social identity theory. The International Encyclopedia of Media Psychology, 1-7.
Heris, C. L., Guerin, N., Thomas, D. P., Eades, S. J., Chamberlain, C., & White, V. (2020). The decline of smoking initiation among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander secondary students: Implications for future policy. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 44(5), 397-403.
Heris, C., Whop, L. J., Kennedy, M., Maddox, R., Lovett, R., & Calma, T. (2023). New funds will tackle Indigenous smoking. But here’s what else we know works for quit campaigns. The Conversation.
Karl, J. A., Fischer, R., Druică, E., Musso, F., & Stan, A. (2022). Testing the effectiveness of the health belief model in predicting preventive behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic: The case of Romania and Italy. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 627575.
Lozano, P., Thrasher, J. F., Forthofer, M., Hardin, J., Shigematsu, L. M., Santillán, E. A., & Fleischer, N. (2020). Smoking-related stigma: A public health tool or a damaging force? Nicotine and Tobacco Research, 22(1), 96-103.
Luquis, R. R., & Kensinger, W. (2019). Applying the health belief model to assess prevention services among young adults. International Journal of Health Promotion and Education, 57(1), 37-47.
Martins, R. S., Junaid, M. U., Khan, M. S., Aziz, N., Fazal, Z. Z., Umoodi, M., Shah, F., & Khan, J. (2021). Factors motivating smoking cessation: A cross-sectional study in a lower-middle-income country. BMC Public Health, 21(1), 1-11.
Ostroff, J. S., Banerjee, S. C., Lynch, K., Shen, M. J., Williamson, T. J., Haque, N., Riley, K., Hamann, H. A., Rigney, M., & Park, B. (2022). Reducing stigma triggered by assessing smoking status among patients diagnosed with lung cancer: De-stigmatizing do and don’t lessons learned from qualitative interviews. PEC Innovation, 1, 100025.
Paruzel, A., Danel, M., & Maier, G. (2020). Scrutinizing social identity theory in corporate social responsibility: An experimental investigation. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 580620.
Sandoval, P. S., & García‐Madariaga, a. J. (2023). Impact of emotional appeal on non‐profit advertising: A neurophysiological analysis. Journal of Consumer Behaviour.
Thurber, K. A., Banks, E., Joshy, G., Soga, K., Marmor, A., Benton, G., White, L. S., Eades, S., Maddox, R., Calma, T., & Lovett, R. (2021). Tobacco smoking and mortality among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults in Australia. International Journal of Epidemiology, 50(3), 942-954.