UNCERTAINTY AVOIDANCE AS A CULTURAL PREDICTOR OF JUDGMENTS TOWARD CONDOM TELEVISION ADVERTISEMENTS AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN KENYA
Abstract
Purpose of the study: The aim of the study was to determine whether Uncertainty Avoidance is a predictor of university students in Kenya, judgements towards condom television advertisements.
Problem statement: Uncertainty Avoidance is the extent to which people are uncomfortable with uncertainty and prefer known, predictable answers. Cultural orientations play a very important role in the reception of messages in health communication, especially in messages that deal with sexuality, threat and morality, like condom TV commercials.
Methodology: Cross section survey method (quantitative) was used in the study. Items used to assess the uncertainty avoidance in judgment of condom television advertisement were structured questionnaires which were answered by the respondents who were University students in Kenya. The answer patterns were measured by descriptive statistics and uncertainty avoidance, and judgement were measured with regression analysis.
Findings: Descriptive results reveal that the participants prioritized solutions to health problems that are organized and reliable with uncertainty-averse types. Social ambivalence, however, was apparent about condom promotion in the public sphere, and continued conservative social norms and taboos about condom promotion were evident, with many respondents seeing the promotion of condoms as immoral. Regression analysis indicated that uncertainty avoidance was not a significant predictor of judgments of condom TV ads (b = 0.041, p < 0.01).
Recommendation: Condom television advertisements that are culturally sensitive, norm-consistent and well-structured should be developed to reflect the social norms of society and reflect public health goals among the youth.
Keywords: Norms, Values, Beliefs, Uncertainty avoidance, Culture
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