To combat instances of misgendering on college campuses, the present study investigates the best method to persuade all individuals, transgender and cisgender, to introduce their pronouns when meeting a new person or group of people. Informed by the Integrated Model of Behavior Change (IMBC), Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM), and Anger Activism Model (AAM), video messages containing guilt, shame, and response efficacy appeals were created to assess the efficacy of these types of appeals in shifting participant attitude toward, social norm beliefs about, and intention to perform the target behavior. In addition, moral conviction was theorized to moderate the effectiveness of guilt and shame appeals and thus was assessed as well. While guilt, shame, and response efficacy appeals were not found to shift attitude and social norm beliefs, results showed a significant difference in intention for those exposed to the guilt and shame messages compared to the control condition, as well as for those exposed to the high response efficacy message compared to the control condition. These preliminary findings speak to the importance of response efficacy appeals when using negative emotional appeals like guilt and shame in behavior change contexts.
