Social Comparison in Narrative Persuasion: When Struggling Characters Serve as Motivation

Abstract

The effects of gain and loss frames have been examined extensively, but there can be more nuance in health narratives. Experimental research with narratives has not yet thoroughly investigated all combinations of protagonists’ health recommendation compliance and story outcomes. People engaging in healthy behaviors may experience negative outcomes. The current study utilized social cognitive theory to investigate protagonist self-efficacy (low vs. high) and social comparison self-evaluation as moderators of story outcome (positive vs. negative) with sleep and alcohol topics. A three-way interaction indicated that, for the alcohol narratives, the more participants compared themselves to low self-efficacy, negative ending protagonists (vs. low self-efficacy, positive ending protagonists), the greater their positive change in alcohol self-efficacy.