Writing Assignment

1. The text notes that communication is “all in your head”. Discuss how the perceptual processincluding internal attitudes, experiences, and expectationsaffects how individuals receive health messages. Furthermore, define cognitive dissonance and explain how a misalignment of thoughts and behaviors can create challenges for health communicators.

2. Based on what we discussed in class, analyze how omission bias, anticipated regret, and the Dunning-Krueger effect specifically influence public attitudes toward vaccinations. How might a parents confirmation bias lead them to find certain information more “credible” than objective medical data?

3. While health communication aims to “engage, inform, and persuade,” it faces significant systemic challenges. Discuss the role of communication within the Ecological Model. Why does the text argue that communication alone is insufficient to change systemic determinants of health, and what other factors must be explored to create effective interventions?