Looking Good Trumps Health as Behavioral Motivator

This is Scientific American 60-Second Science. I'm Christopher Intagliata. Got a minute?
Sunscreen can help prevent skin cancer.
Sunscreen can help you keep looking young.
So, which claim will motivate young people to use sunscreen?
To find out, researchers showed videos to 50 high-school juniors, who used sunscreen less than once a week, on average.
Half saw a video that stressed the health consequences of foregoing sunscreen:
"Did you know that having one bad sunburn in your life increases your chances of getting melanoma?"
The others saw a video that stressed the sun's effect on appearance:
"The skin damage can show up as wrinkles, dark spots, uneven skin tones, sagging skin and rough leathery skin."
Six weeks later, the kids who watched the health video hadn't changed their habits.
But the students who saw the beauty video were slathering on sunscreen three times a week.
The findings are in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
The study does have one limitation: teenagers are invincible.
So they might always be prone to favor beauty over health.
Still, the researchers say PSAs that combine both health and beauty messages could be just the thing to encourage older adults to change their ways.
At least, those willing to listen.
"I love tanning, I love to be bronze, you know, have that sexy tan look."
For Scientific American 60-Second Science. I'm Christopher Intagliata.