Abstract
The beneficial effects of gain-framed vs. loss-framed messages promoting health protective behaviors have been found to be inconsistent, and consideration of potential moderating variables is essential if framed health promotion messages are to be effective. This research aimed to determine the influence of highlighting autonomy (choice and freedom) and heteronomy (coercion) on the avoidance of high-calorie snacks following reading gain-framed or loss-framed health messages. In Study 1 (N = 152) participants completed an autonomy, neutral, or heteronomy priming task, and read a gain-framed or loss-framed health message. In Study 2 (N = 242) participants read a gain-framed or loss-framed health message with embedded autonomy or heteronomy primes. In both studies, snacking intentions and behavior were recorded after seven days. In both studies, when autonomy was highlighted, the gain-framed message (compared to the loss-framed message) resulted in stronger intentions to avoid high-calorie snacks, and lower self-reported snack consumption after seven days. Study 2 demonstrated this effect occurred only for participants to whom the information was most relevant (BMI>25). The results suggest that messages promoting healthy dietary behavior may be more persuasive if the autonomy-supportive vs. coercive nature of the health information is matched to the message frame. Further research is needed to examine potential mediating processes.
Highlights
Message framing is a health promotion strategy which communicates health benefits or health costs, depending on the features of the target health behavior [1] [2]
Three 3 (Prime [autonomy, neutral, heteronomy]62 (Frame [gain, loss]) ANCOVAs were conducted to examine the effects of Prime and Frame on intentions to avoid high calorie snacks at Time 1 and Time 2, and snacking behavior at Time 2, with baseline intentions, baseline snacking behavior, and baseline autonomy added as covariates
Study 2 examined whether autonomy and heteronomy primes that were embedded within the health information would influence the effect of gain-framed vs. loss-framed health messages about the negative health consequences of unhealthy high calorie snack consumption on participant’s intentions to avoid snacking, and their snacking behavior seven days later
Summary
Message framing is a health promotion strategy which communicates health benefits (a gain-framed message) or health costs (a loss-framed message), depending on the features of the target health behavior [1] [2]. According to Prospect Theory, people are risk-seeking when considering potential gains, and risk-averse when considering potential losses [3] [4]. People tend to be more persuaded by information about the benefits of eating a healthy diet vs the negative consequences of not eating a healthy diet (a lower-risk, prevention behavior), whereas people tend to be more persuaded when given information about the potential negative consequences of not attending a health screening vs the benefits gained from attending a screening (a higher-risk, detection behavior). Mixed findings in the literature suggest that Prospect Theory may be limited in its ability to fully explain the differential effects of gainframed or loss-framed messages, in health promotion settings
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