Message Framing

Question 1

Health Message Framing

Answer 1

• Gain frames are more effective: when health behavior is not perceived as risky to do; easy
  ex. illness prevention behaviors like applying sunscreen daily
• Loss frames are more effective: when health behavior is perceived as risky to do; more at stake
  ex. illness detection behaviors like STI testing is risky because they might get a life-altering result

Question 2

Issue involvement

Answer 2

• Someone’s involvement with an issue can affect the impact of message framing on a behavior
• More involvement = more careful processing
• Loss-frame is better when people are involved (when they process the message carefully)
  ex. more people are willing to get HIV vaccine when they have many sexual partners/don’t get tested
• Gain-frame is better when people are not involved/loosely involved with the issue

Question 3

Other considerations

Answer 3

Current behavior can affect response to a framed message:
- smoking = more issue involvement = loss frame better
- not smoking = no issue involvement = gain frame better

Motivation type:
- Approach-oriented people are sensitive to rewards and gain frames
ex. more willing to quit smoking = wants rewards = should know what they can gain from it
- Avoidance-oriented people are sensitive to threats and loss frames
ex. putting off quitting smoking = more scared of what they can lose = should know what they lose