Examining the Role of Exposure to Incongruent Messages on the Effect of Message Framing in an Internet Health Search

Abstract

This study examines the effects of exposure to messages incongruent with one’s motivational orientation. In a factorial design with regulatory orientation and message frame as independent variables, participants ( N = 106) conducted an information search on a web program. Participants selected online information that was congruent with their activated motivational orientation. Compatibility effects resulted in promotion orientation/gain frame and prevention orientation/loss frame participants reporting more favorable attitudes than promotion orientation/loss frame and prevention orientation/gain frame participants irrespective of exposure to messages incongruent with the activated motivational orientation. A similar pattern of results occurred with message recall. For behavioral intention, significant differences occurred for only the promotion orientation condition where gain-framed messages elicited greater behavioral intentions than the loss-framed message.