The effects of message framing on behavioral prevalence assumptions

Abstract

Based on attribution theory and the logic of conversational norms, we predicted that image-based health communications can alter prevalence estimates for health behaviors. In two studies, participants were exposed either to a positively-framed or negatively-framed communication advocating for specific health behaviors. As predicted, participants who read a health communication rated healthy behaviors as less common when positive attributes were associated with healthy choices than when negative attributes were associated with unhealthy choices. The second study revealed that this pattern was most pronounced among participants who reported initial uncertainty about behavioral norms. These findings suggest that positively-framed influence attempts can promote prevalence assumptions that work against the influence attempt.

The Advantages of Compliance or the Disadvantages of Noncompliance? A Meta-Analytic Review of the Relative Persuasive Effectiveness of Gain-Framed and Loss-Framed Messages

“…Isen and Noonberg (1979) and Pancer, Deforest, Rogers, and Schmirler (1979) varied charitable appeals by having accompanying pictures depict either a needy child or a child who had received assistance (see also Cunningham, Steinberg, & Grev, 1980, Experiment 2;Gore et al, 1998). healthy decisions" (p. 848; similarly, see Stuart & Blanton, 2003). For examples of various other (excluded) imperfect realizations, see Cameron and Leventhal (1995), Christophersen and Gyulay (1981), Gibson (1962), Gierl, Helm, andSatzinger (2000), Hart (1972), Kirscht, Haefner, and Eveland (1975), Krishnamurthy, Carter, and Blair (2001), Lehmann (1970), Melvin (1995), Orth, Oppenheim, and Firbasova (in press), and Van Den Heuvel (1982) .…”

Health Message Framing Effects on Attitudes, Intentions, and Behavior: A Meta-analytic Review

“…87). Similarly, the framing of a message may also convey other implicit information such as the prevalence of the advocated behavior [128], which may also exert a direct effect on behavior. Lastly, gain-framed messages promoting prevention behavior appear to stimulate greater levels of information processing and better subsequent memory than loss-framed messages [129].…”

Social Psychology and Motivational Interviewing: A Review of Relevant Principles and Recommendations for Research and Practice

“…Recently, researchers have suggested that loss-framed health messages should also be utilized when individuals are uncertain of behavioral norms (Stuart and Blanton, 2003;Blanton, Stuart and VandenEijnden, 2001). They contend that positive frames, which praise people for engaging in healthy behavior, may imply that few people actually perform the behavior in question.…”