Short and Sweet: The Persuasive Effects of Message Framing and Temporal Context in Antismoking Warning Labels

Current warning labels on cigarette packages are generally focused on long-term losses that can be incurred if one continues smoking. This study compares the effects of these labels against warning labels that stress short-term losses of smoking as well as labels that stress short- and long-term benefits that can be obtained when one quits smoking. A 2 (message frame: gain vs. loss) × 2 (temporal context: short vs. long term) between-subjects experiment was conducted among 132 smokers, with attitude toward quitting smoking and intention to quit smoking, as well as information-seeking behavior and message recall, as the dependent variables. Findings were in line with theory regarding message framing and temporal discounting, showing enhanced effects of gain over loss frames and short-term over long-term consequences on warning labels for attitudes and intentions. In addition, an interaction between message frame and temporal context was found. Especially, gain-framed messages showed stronger effects on intentions to quit smoking than loss-framed messages when warning labels concerned short-term outcomes. Findings suggest that current warning labels, with an emphasis on long-term negative health outcomes, should be reconsidered.     

Metaphor Use and Health Literacy: A Pilot Study of Strategies to Explain Randomization in Cancer Clinical Trials

This study tests whether the impact of alcohol advertising exposure on intentions to drink and actual consumption is mediated by cognitive responses to advertising messages and positive expectancies about alcohol use. The model was tested using survey data of two important age cohorts, 15 to 20 years (n = 608) and 21 to 29 years (n = 612). The findings show that alcohol advertising was influential in shaping young people's attitudes and perceptions about alcohol advertising messages. The attitudes and perceptions predicted both positive expectancies and intentions to drink of those under the legal drinking age, but did not affect the young adults' expectancies and consumption. Positive expectancies were powerful predictors of intentions to drink and consumption for both groups. The effects of alcohol advertising on intentions to drink of those aged 15 to 20 years were mediated by cognitive responses to advertising messages and positive expectancies. The mediation effect was not evident among those between 21 and 29 years.     

The Impacts of Vicarious Illness Experience on Response to Gain- Versus Loss-Framed Breast Cancer Screening (BCS) Messages

Although vicarious experience with certain illnesses has been found to be influential on people’s illness perceptions and related behaviors, the concept of vicarious experience has been understudied in health communication research. This study aims to ground possible effects of vicarious illness experience (VIE) into theory, specifically concerning the developments in gain versus loss framing literature. An experiment using 154 African American participants (mean age = 46 years) found that participants who had close women affected by breast cancer and those who had no close women affected by breast cancer responded to gain- versus loss-framed breast cancer screening (BCS) messages differently. Compared to the loss frame, the gain frame was more effective for participants with VIE in increasing their favorable attitudes toward BCS, BCS recommendation intentions, and memory of the BCS message. In contrast, when compared to the gain frame, the loss frame was more effective for those without VIE in increasing their cognitive elaboration of the BCS message. The findings suggest the strategic potential of VIE in developing health interventions, and they also provide practical implications for health communication practitioners into how to strategically use gain versus loss framing in accordance with their target publics.     

Effects of Message Framing in Anti–Binge Drinking PSAs: The Moderating Role of Counterfactual Thinking

This experiment examined the interaction effects of message framing and counterfactual thinking on attitudes toward binge drinking and behavioral intentions. Data from a 2 (message framing: gain vs. loss) × 2 (counterfactual thinking priming: additive vs. subtractive) between-subjects factorial design showed that a gain-framed message resulted in lower binge drinking intentions than did a loss-framed message after subjects engaged in additive counterfactual thinking. The effects of a loss-framed message on binge drinking intentions occurred when subtractive counterfactual thinking was induced. Theoretical and practical implications for anti–binge drinking public service announcements are discussed.     

An Alcohol Message Beneath the Surface of ER: How Implicit Memory Influences Viewers’ Health Attitudes and Intentions Using Entertainment-Education

While previous research on entertainment-education has assessed its effectiveness, primarily at the conscious level (e.g., free recall and self-reported change in knowledge), few studies have explored its effect on viewers’ implicit knowledge. To fill this gap, this study examined the mechanism through which viewers form implicit memory of short health messages inserted in a primetime TV show and its preconscious effects on viewers’ health attitudes and intentions. An experiment was conducted using a 3-group (health message: present vs. absent vs. control), posttest-only design with additional planned analyses of differences by subject variables (past experience and involvement). Overall, findings supported the hypothesized effects of implicit memory of a brief antialcohol message embedded in an ER episode on college students’ attitudes and intentions against binge drinking. Results showed that participants who were exposed to the health message reported less positive attitudes toward binge drinking and lower intentions to binge drink, compared with those who were not exposed; the causal relations among viewers’ implicit memory, attitudes, and intentions were also validated. Results also showed that individuals’ past experience and involvement moderated the effects of the health message on attitudes and intentions. Theoretical explanations and practical implications are discussed.     

Alcohol Storylines in Television Episodes: The Preventive Effect of Countering Epilogues

This experimental study assessed whether alcohol television storylines impact youth drinking attitudes and intentions and whether corrective epilogues can potentially moderate this impact. Television episodes were professionally produced to depict heavy drinking leading to either positive or negative consequences. The pro- and anti-alcohol episodes were shown alone or with an epilogue where a main character discussed the deleterious effects of excessive drinking. Attitudes toward drinkers and drinking intentions were measured subsequently, along with reactions to the episode and demographic data, among participants aged 14–17 using an online study. Exposure to the pro-alcohol episode was related to more positive attitudes toward drinkers. Including an epilogue after a pro-alcohol episode was related to more negative viewers’ attitudes toward drinkers and lower drinking intentions compared to a pro-alcohol episode with no epilogue. By contrast, including an epilogue after an anti-alcohol episode was unrelated to attitudes toward drinkers or drinking intentions. Viewing a single television episode with a pro-alcohol message may lead to more positive attitudes toward drinkers. The finding that a brief epilogue may reduce the impact of the pro-alcohol storyline suggests easily implemented preventive strategies to counter the adverse impact of substance use portrayals in entertainment programming.     

The Exposure Effects of Online Model Pictures and Weight-Related Persuasive Messages on Women’s Weight-Loss Planned Behaviors

This study examined how exposure to pictures of women with different body sizes (thin, obese), physical attractiveness levels (attractive, unattractive), along with exposure to weight-related messages (pro-anorexia, anti-anorexia) embedded in a fashion website affected female participants’ planned behavior toward weight loss. Participants exposed to attractive model pictures showed higher intentions, attitudes, and subjective norms to lose weight compared with unattractive models. Additionally, participants exposed to thin and attractive model pictures indicated the highest attitudes and self-efficacy to lose weight, whereas those exposed to thin and unattractive model pictures indicated the lowest. Furthermore, weight-related messages moderated the effect of model appearance (body size and attractiveness) on controllability of weight-loss activities. However, website pictures’ body size differences had no main effects on planned behavior toward weight loss. These effects are discussed in the light of social comparison mechanisms.     

Alcohol advertising exposure and perceptions: links with alcohol expectancies and intentions to drink or drinking in underaged youth and young adults

This study tests whether the impact of alcohol advertising exposure on intentions to drink and actual consumption is mediated by cognitive responses to advertising messages and positive expectancies about alcohol use. The model was tested using survey data of two important age cohorts, 15 to 20 years (n=608) and 21 to 29 years (n=612). The findings show that alcohol advertising was influential in shaping young people's attitudes and perceptions about alcohol advertising messages. The attitudes and perceptions predicted both positive expectancies and intentions to drink of those under the legal drinking age, but did not affect the young adults' expectancies and consumption. Positive expectancies were powerful predictors of intentions to drink and consumption for both groups. The effects of alcohol advertising on intentions to drink of those aged 15 to 20 years were mediated by cognitive responses to advertising messages and positive expectancies. The mediation effect was not evident among those between 21 and 29 years.     

Risk Belief and Attitude Formation From Translated Scientific Messages About PFOA,an Environmental Risk Associated With Breast Cancer

Evidence regarding possible environmental causes of breast cancer is advancing. Often, however, the public is not informed about these advances in a manner that is easily understandable. This research translates findings from biologists into messages at two literacy levels about perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a possible environmental contributor to breast cancer. The Heuristic Systematic Model (HSM) was used to investigate how ability, motivation, and systematic and heuristic processing lead to risk beliefs and, ultimately, to negative attitudes for individuals receiving translated scientific messages about PFOA. Participants (N = 1,389) came from the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation’s Army of Women. Findings indicated that ability, in the form of translated messages, predicted systematic processing, operationalized as knowledge gain, which was negatively associated with formation of risk beliefs that led to negative attitudes toward PFOA. Heuristic processing cues, operationalized as perceived message quality and source credibility, were positively associated with risk beliefs, which predicted negative attitudes about PFOA. Overall, more knowledge and lower literacy messages led to lower perceived risk, while greater involvement and ratings of heuristic cues led to greater risk perceptions. This is an example of a research, translation, and dissemination team effort in which biologists created knowledge, communication scholars translated and tested messages, and advocates were participants and those who disseminated messages.     

Change Your Ways: Fostering Health Attitudes Toward Change Through Selective Exposure to Online Health Messages

Health information is often sought online, despite varying credibility of online sources, and may shape health behaviors. This investigation builds on the Selective Exposure Self- and Affect-Management model to examine selective exposure to online health information from low- and high-credibility sources and subsequent effects on attitudes toward health behaviors. In a lab study, 419 participants accessed online search results about health topics. The display varied messages in a 4 × 2 × 2 all within-subjects design, with topic as a four-step factor (organic food, coffee, fruit and vegetable consumption, physical exercise) and source credibility (low vs. high) and issue stance (promoting vs. opposing health behavior) as two-step factors. Displayed messages either promoted or opposed the related behavior. Results showed that perceiving greater standard–behavior discrepancy (between recommended behavior standards and own behavior) fostered behavior-related attitudes through selective exposure to messages promoting that behavior. The effects from selective exposure to health messages on attitudes occurred regardless of associated source credibility.     

Physical Activity Messages for Youth with Disabilities: An Evaluation of Attitudes,Intentions, and Preferences

ABSTRACT

There is no known research examining the use of strategic messages to motivate youth with physical disabilities (YWPD), or how to create effective messages for them. Guided by the Social Issue Advertising Believability Model (SIABM), the study aimed to: (i) examine the effectiveness of physical activity (PA) messages on YWPD’s attitudes and intentions to participate in PA, and (ii) consider factors related to message effectiveness. YWPD (N = 60) were randomized to view one of three PA messages: (a) no youth, (b) non-inclusive, and (c) targeted. Attitudes and intentions to participate in PA were assessed at baseline and immediately following viewing one of the three messages. Participants also evaluated the messages in terms of relevance, believability, attention, and attitudes. Repeated measures ANOVA and median split analyses indicated that attitudes toward PA increased after message viewing for participants with low baseline attitudes, but decreased for participants with high baseline attitudes. No significant changes in intentions emerged. The targeted message was most preferred and evaluated as most believable. Attention paid to the message was the only significant predictor of intention to participate in PA post-viewing (p = .001). PA campaigns should consider being inclusive of YWPD with low attitudes and intentions to engage in PA when developing messages.     

Self-Deprecating Humor Versus Other-Deprecating Humor in Health Messages

Humor is sometimes used in health messages. However, little is known about contingencies under which different types of humor may or may not be effective. This experiment crossed humorous versus nonhumorous and self- versus other-deprecating messages about binge drinking, and tested how differences in personal investment in alcohol use moderates the effects of such messages on college binge drinkers. Results showed significant 3-way interaction effects on subjective norms and behavioral intentions largely consistent with hypotheses. Assessment of significant differences in the interactions indicated that for binge drinkers who were not high in personal investment in alcohol use, other-deprecating humor tended to reduce their perceived subjective norms about the acceptability of binge drinking behavior and their behavioral intentions. The effect of the experimental manipulation on subjective norms among these binge drinkers was shown to mediate the effect on intentions to binge drink in the future. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.     

Young Adults' Responses to News About Sunscreen and Skin Cancer: The Role of Framing and Social Comparison

Young adults read a news article about skin cancer that used a gain frame (e.g., using sunscreen keeps skin healthy) or a loss frame (e.g., not using sunscreen increases skin cancer risk), and included a personal exemplar (healthy or ill). Compared to a control group, both frames increased intentions to use sunscreen. Planned SPF was higher for men in the loss frame but was unaffected by framing for women. The framing manipulation had opposite effects on sun protection behaviors among individuals who were high versus low in perceived similarity to the exemplar. Overall, the gain frame was more effective for people who were high in similarity, whereas the loss frame was more effective for those low in similarity. In addition, individuals who felt more similar to the exemplar reported more personal risk in the loss frame but stronger intentions to use sun protection behaviors in the gain frame. Last, social comparison orientation was associated with more personal risk in the gain frame (suggesting upward comparison) but lower intentions to engage in sun protection behaviors regardless of the frame. Interpretations of the findings and implications for the use of exemplars in health messages are discussed.     

Assessing College Students' Attitudes Toward Responsible Drinking Messages to Identify Promising Binge Drinking Intervention Strategies

Health communication appeals were utilized through a Web site simulation to evaluate the potential effectiveness of 3 intervention approaches to promote responsible drinking among college students. Within the Web site simulation, participants were exposed to a persuasive message designed to represent either the generalized social norms advertising approach (based on others' behavior), the personalized behavioral feedback approach (tailored to the individual's behavior), or the schema-based approach (tailored to the individual's self-schema, or personality). A control group was exposed to a message that was designed to be neutral (it was designed to discourage heavy drinking, but it did not represent any of the previously mentioned approaches). It was hypothesized that the more personalized the message was to the individual, the more favorable college students' attitudes would be toward the responsible drinking message. Participants receiving the more personalized messages did report more favorable attitudes toward the responsible drinking message.     

Collective Efficacy and the Regulatory Framing of Health Messages: Influences on Concern for Body Image

A collective efficacy scale is presented and used in 2 experiments that tested the effects of collective efficacy and regulatory framing on concern for body image. In Study 1 (N = 73), participants viewed online video messages from a health campaign that varied in their regulatory frame (promotion vs. prevention), after which they expressed the likelihood that they would discuss it with someone else. In Study 2, participants (N = 307) viewed either a regulatory-framed message or no message, after which they expressed their concern for the issue and their behavioral intentions. Study 2 also introduced moderating variables and addressed potential alternate explanations. Overall, participants who were higher in collective efficacy indicated greater concern for the issue of body image and expressed a greater likelihood to discuss the issue. The messages' regulatory frame also moderated the effect of collective efficacy. Collective efficacy was a stronger predictor in the prevention condition than in the promotion condition, presumably because the promotion frame was more effective in increasing participants' concern and intentions regardless of their sense of collective efficacy.     

Assessing college students' attitudes toward responsible drinking messages to identify promising binge drinking intervention strategies

Health communication appeals were utilized through a Web site simulation to evaluate the potential effectiveness of 3 intervention approaches to promote responsible drinking among college students. Within the Web site simulation, participants were exposed to a persuasive message designed to represent either the generalized social norms advertising approach (based on others' behavior), the personalized behavioral feedback approach (tailored to the individual's behavior), or the schema-based approach (tailored to the individual's self-schema, or personality). A control group was exposed to a message that was designed to be neutral (it was designed to discourage heavy drinking, but it did not represent any of the previously mentioned approaches). It was hypothesized that the more personalized the message was to the individual, the more favorable college students' attitudes would be toward the responsible drinking message. Participants receiving the more personalized messages did report more favorable attitudes toward the responsible drinking message.     

Friends Don’t Let Friends Smoke: How Storytelling and Social Distance Influence Nonsmokers’ Responses to Antismoking Messages

This study examines nonsmokers’ responses to antismoking messages. Informed by construal-level theory (CLT), it investigates whether and how evidence type (narrative vs. non-narrative) and social distance might interact to influence nonsmokers’ attitudes toward others’ quitting smoking and intentions to persuade others to quit smoking. Results of a controlled experiment (N = 281) revealed an approximately significant two-way interaction pertaining to attitudes. Simple effects analyses revealed that narratives produced less-favorable attitudes toward others’ quitting smoking than nonnarratives when participants thought about their best friend. Yet, there was no difference in attitudes between narratives and nonnarratives when participants thought about socially distant others. The results also indicated that nonnarratives overpowered narratives to influence participants’ attitudes toward others’ quitting smoking. Moreover, social distance had a consistent impact on their risk beliefs, such that they perceive fewer health risks of their close friends than an average college student. Theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed.     

The Effects of Twitter Users’ Gender and Weight on Viral Behavioral Intentions Toward Obesity-Related News

In this study, male and female participants were exposed to identical news stories covering obesity topics paired with tweets from Twitter users. Our study aimed at understanding how obesity-related news combined with user-generated social media posts (i.e., tweets) affect consumers’ evaluations of online content and viral behavioral intentions (the intentions to like, share, and comment). An experiment (N = 316) explored how gender and weight of a Twitter user (tweeter) affect participants’ evaluations and viral behavioral intentions toward news stories. Participants differed in their evaluations of and viral behavioral intentions for news stories as a function of Twitter users’ gender and weight, as well as participants’ gender. While participants expressed more favorable attitudes toward news stories paired with tweets by overweight than healthy females (with the opposite true for tweets by male users), participants expressed greater viral behavioral intentions for news stories paired with tweets by healthy weight than overweight user. These effects were more pronounced among male than female participants. Findings are discussed within the context of social media posts and their persuasive effects in relation to attitude and behavior changes.     

Impact of an Alcohol Poisoning Storyline in a Fictional Television Program: An Experimental Study With a Live-to-Air Stimulus

Storylines in fictional television programs may be an effective medium for health-promoting messages. This randomized pretest–posttest (N = 111) with follow-up (n = 71) study examined the persuasive impact of an alcohol poisoning story in the program ER on viewers’ drinking-related beliefs, attitudes, intentions, and behavior. The perception of persuasive intent is theorized to be a key factor influencing a narrative’s impact; therefore, this study also examined the influence of perceived persuasive intent on viewing outcomes. Viewing group participants were asked to view a specific upcoming episode of ER when it was first scheduled to air on national television in New Zealand. The results suggest that the alcohol poisoning story had a beneficial impact on viewers’ drinking-related beliefs, attitudes, and intentions. Perceived persuasive intent was not a significant predictor of viewing outcomes. This study is the first randomized experiment that has used a live-to-air stimulus to examine the impact of a health-promoting storyline in a fictional television program that has been created and broadcast in a developed nation. The significant effects found at post-viewing and follow-up provide further empirical support to the existing experimental literature, with enhanced ecological validity, for the potential positive impact of health-promoting storylines in fictional television programs.     

A Picture Worth a Thousand Texts? Investigating the Influences of Visual Appeals in a Text Message-Based Health Intervention

Healthy eating among young people may curb obesity and improve health, but strong messaging is needed for healthy eating interventions. In the current work, we evaluated the usefulness of visual appeals in a pilot text message-based healthy eating intervention among college students. A 2 (gain vs. loss) × 2 (image vs. no image) design with pretest and posttest questionnaires (N = 111) revealed text-only messages with loss frames had an influence on affective risk response, while both gain- and loss-framed text messages with visual appeals had positive effects on attitudes and intentions. This pilot study provides evidence to support the feasibility of using visual appeals in text message-based health interventions. The implications of the current study are discussed.