“Mixed” findings from past research of high fear not always being more persuasive than lower fear communications are explained by suggesting that researchers might have been incorrect in assuming that a certain type of message would always engender the greatest degree of fear with all subjects. The oft-repeated “optimal level of fear” for persuasion is not a supported theory that explains such findings but a data artifact, resulting, in part, from unquestioned assumptions. Seeking applications, not questioning past research assumptions and being inspired by misperceptions of psychology data and theories, many advertising researchers have sought the chimera of “best” literal fear communications.