Framing Effects Research Articles

The Effect of Seeing Paintings or Photojournalistic Images Depicting Refugees on Their Infrahumanisation

Abstract Images are powerful cultural agents that can inform, shape and change the attitudes and behaviours of viewers. The ways in which marginalised groups are depicted in photographs shape people's attitudes towards them. For example, viewing photojournalistic images portraying refugees in large rather than small groups results in the infrahumanisation of refugees. However, the impact of artworks vs photojournalistic images depicting refugees on their infrahumanisation remains a key and unexplored topic. In this pre-registered study, we investigated whether viewing different types of visual images (e.g., paintings vs photographs) of refugees using distinct visual framings (e.g., large or small groups) influences viewers' infrahumanisation of refugees and the intensity and valence of the viewers' felt emotions. Contrary to our predictions, no evidence was found for an effect of visual framing (large vs small groups) and different image types (paintings vs photos) portraying refugees on their infrahumanisation. Moreover, and in line with our predictions, photojournalistic images were evaluated as more emotionally intense than paintings, whereas paintings rather than photojournalistic images engaged more positive emotions, demonstrating that different types of images involve distinct affective responses. Furthermore, exploratory findings revealed that increased positive appraisals of photojournalistic images depicting small groups rather than large groups led to greater humanisation of refugees. This suggests that positive emotions can decrease the infrahumanisation of marginalized groups, particularly when these are evoked by photojournalistic images. Overall, these findings shed new light on the effects of audience exposure to different forms of visual representation and their social and emotional consequences.

Two paths of news frames affecting support for particulate matter policies in South Korea: The moderating roles of media exposure and psychological distance.

This study examined the paths through which the news frames of particulate matter (PM) influence support for governmental policies aiming to address PM. It also explored the mediating effects of anxiety and risk perception in the relationship between news frames and policy support, as well as the moderating effects of media exposure and psychological distance on the PM news framing effect. Based on an experimental design (N=676), two groups of news frames were prepared for comparison: a narrative frame group and a numerical frame group. The results showed no significant differences in anxiety or risk perception between the two groups. Further, no significant mediating effects of anxiety or risk perception were found in the process through which PM news frames influence support for governmental policies. However, media exposure significantly moderated the effect of the narrative frame: With high (low) media exposure, the narrative frame positively (negatively) influenced policy support through risk perception. Moreover, when the level of psychological distance was low, the narrative frame positively influenced policy support through risk perception. This study contributes to the literature on news framing of PM by integrating cognitive and emotional mechanisms in forming policy attitudes.

Quantitative Measurements of the Effect of Framing and Social Closeness on Decision Making

According to prospect theory of framing, people's decisions are influenced by the potential outcomes themselves and how those outcomes are framed. In our study we investigated if social closeness would influence people in the same way and if it has an increased impact when used in combination with framing. We hypothesized that if the message is in gain-frame, then the potential donors, participants, will be more willing to donate, and if the potential donor and the recipient have a close relationship, then the donor will show higher willingness to donate. Furthermore, it is hypothesized that there will be an interaction effect between message framing and social closeness on willingness to donate. Participants (N = 1539) were randomly assigned to two different types of survey, one in a gain frame and other one in a loss frame. Social closeness was manipulated into two levels, close family member and close friend, and participants were again randomly assigned to two different types, with one asking to give the name of their close friend, and the other one asking to give the name of their close family member. Framing and social closeness both had effects on participants' decision making, however, unlike our hypothesis, did not have a combined effect. Our results imply that individuals may process information about framing and their social relations separately when deciding on donating. The cognitive process involved in this kind of decision making may require two separate processes for evaluating framing and social closeness, respectively.

When Gain/Loss Framing Exerts Its Effects and How: Examining the Roles of Risk Perceptions, Anticipated Regret, and Anxiety

ABSTRACTOver the past 30 years, gain/loss framing has received substantial scholarly attention from advertising researchers. Nevertheless, its effects are not yet fully understood, and further research is required to clarify mixed findings reported in previous studies. In response to this gap in the literature, this study examined the mechanisms through which risk perceptions affect gain/loss framing effects, using two experiments involving different levels of risks. Experiment 1, which involves low risk, showed that gain framing was more effective for consumers with stronger risk perceptions. However, this advantage disappeared when consumers' risk perceptions were weak. In Experiment 2, which involves high risk, loss framing was more effective for consumers with weaker risk perceptions; however, these effects disappeared when consumers' risk perceptions were very strong. The study also revealed that anticipated regret mediates the interaction effects of framing and risk perceptions on attitudes and intentions. The findings of this study suggest that risk perceptions may help explain the inconsistent results reported in previous research.

Study of U.S. Democratic and Republican Senators' Political Framing Strategies on Abortion Rights Based on Social Identity Theory and Framing Effect

Political framing significantly shapes public opinions and legislative outcomes in the United States, making the understanding of Democratic and Republican senators' strategies concerning abortion rights necessary. This study employs Social Identity Theory and Framing Effect to analyze cognitive and affective language patterns, as well as frequent references to specific word count in senators' speeches, using the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) program. The findings reveal distinct partisan differences: Democrats frequently emphasize women's rights and personal freedoms, while Republicans focus on morality and the sanctity of unborn life. These divergent framing strategies highlight how party affiliation influences the discourse on this contentious issue. The research, using both qualitative and quantitative approaches, underscores the complexity of political communication and the need for nuanced studies to explore how language reflects and shapes political identities and ideologies.

Alluring or Alarming? The Polarizing Effect of Forbidden Knowledge in Political Discourse.

"Forbidden knowledge" claims are central to conspiracy theories, yet they have received little systematic study. Forbidden knowledge claims imply that information is censored or suppressed. Theoretically, forbidden knowledge could be alluring or alarming, depending on alignment with recipients' political worldviews. In three studies (N = 2363, two preregistered), we examined censorship claims about (conservative-aligned) controversial COVID-19 topics. In Studies 1a and 2 participants read COVID-19 claims framed as censored or not. Conservatives reported more attraction to and belief in the claims, regardless of censorship condition, while liberals showed decreased interest and belief when information was presented as censored. Study 1b revealed divergent interpretations of suppression motives: liberals assumed censored information was harmful or false, whereas conservatives deemed it valuable and true. In Study 2, conservatives made more critical thinking errors in a vaccine risk reasoning task when information was framed as censored. Findings reveal the polarizing effects of forbidden knowledge frames.

Consumers' green product purchase intention considering para-social interaction: An experimental study based on live-streaming e-commerce

Although live-streaming e-commerce plays an important role in promoting green consumption, there are still some obstacles to turning awareness into action. Consumers often weigh personal benefits against social benefits when making green purchasing decisions. Should streamers emphasize personal or social benefits when recommending green products? Which method of expression has better marketing effects? To address these questions, this study explores the impact of the interaction between green product message framing and benefit appeals on consumers' purchase intention and its internal mechanisms through two experiments and explores the moderating role of streamer traits based on para-social interaction theory. The results show that: (1) The interaction effects of green product message framing and benefit appeals impact consumers' green purchase intentions. (2) Green product utility perception and environmental self-responsibility mediate green product purchase intention. (3) Para-social interaction moderates the effects of green product message framing and benefit appeals on purchase intention. This research provides valuable insights for live-streaming e-commerce and related enterprises to optimize green marketing strategies and promote green consumption.

Modifiable factors for somatic symptom persistence in patients with somatic symptom disorder: study protocol for a longitudinal cohort with an embedded ecologically momentary assessment (SOMA.SSD)

IntroductionSomatic symptom disorder (SSD) is a distressing mental disorder characterised by the presence of at least one persistent somatic symptom and a significant psychological burden due to the symptom(s), as well as excessive thoughts, feelings or behaviours related to them or associated health concerns. The primary aim of our study is to deepen the understanding of risk factors and mechanisms for somatic symptom persistence. Specifically, we will investigate the role of patients’ expectations and somatic comorbidity regarding symptom persistence.Methods and analysisIn a prospective 12-month cohort study, n=240 patients with SSD will be recruited from the outpatient clinics of the Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf. The roles of two hypothesised predictors (ie, expectations and comorbidity) will be analysed together with known predisposing and maintaining factors of persistent somatic symptoms. The study entails macrolevel and microlevel assessments to investigate symptom severity over different timespans. Assessments at the macrolevel take place at baseline, 6 and 12 months. At the microlevel, a 10-day ecological momentary assessment study will be implemented to elucidate patients’ dynamic experience with somatic symptoms in their natural environments. In order to elicit possible framing effects on the 10-day course of symptom severity, participants are randomised to either a positive or a negative expectation framing group. Cross-lagged panel models will be used to analyse data at the macrolevel. At the microlevel, multivariate latent growth curve models will be conducted to relate temporal changes in predictor and outcome variables to one another.Ethics and disseminationThe study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Medical Associations Hamburg, Germany (2020-10197-BO-ff). The results will enable us to draw conclusions regarding the role of expectations for future targeted treatment options and regarding the utility of somatic comorbidity as a potential diagnostic specifier of SSD. Dissemination of our results will be achieved through scientific publications, and lay summaries for study participants, patient advocacy groups and the general public.Trial registration numberISRCTN36251388.

The Effect of Message Framing of Other Distribution Channels on Purchase Intention in TV Home Shopping: Focused on the Moderating Effect of Product Type (Luxury vs. General )

The Effect of Message Framing of Other Distribution Channels on Purchase Intention in TV Home Shopping: Focused on the Moderating Effect of Product Type (Luxury vs. General )

“Take no risk!”: Immediate and delayed backfire-effect of risk-reducing messages in retailers' return and exchange policies

While much research highlights the positive effects of appropriate risk framing in online retail advertising, this study reveals its potential adverse impact on consumer purchase decisions, particularly when communicating retailers' return and exchange policies. We conducted four studies, including three distinct field experiments in partnership with a major online retailer, to explore immediate and deferred consumer behaviors - advertising engagement and actual purchases - across over 452,632 consumers, and one controlled online experiment to test the proposed hypotheses. Studies 1a and 1b examined the short-term adverse effects of reassuring risk framing on immediate advertising engagement, and Study 2 assessed its impact on delayed decisions (actual purchase). Study 3 provided insights into the underlying psychological mechanisms using the persuasion knowledge theory. Our findings indicate that framing messages such as “take no risk” can diminish advertising engagement and actual purchasing behavior, because of greater persuasion knowledge. Advertisers are advised to carefully evaluate the use of risk-reducing messages in their communication to avoid unintended negative impacts on both advertising engagement and actual purchase behavior. This study enriches the advertising literature by uncovering the backfiring effects of reassuring risk-reducing framing.

Excessive consumption behavior of young people under the wave of digital payment: an analysis from the perspective of behavioral economics

With the popularization of digital payment, the excessive consumption of young people is increasingly serious, which harms personal finance and social and economic stability. This paper employs behavioral economics theory to analyze the internal mechanism of excessive consumption among young people within the background of digital payment. It considers individual-level reference dependence, payment isolation, hyperbolic discounting psychology, and external framing effects and decoy effects. Moreover, suggestions are given based on these analyses to help young people form rational consumption attitudes through educational initiatives, guidance from family and social networks, the dissemination of information, policy encouragement, regulatory enhancement, and legal safeguards. This initiative aims to promote the well-being of the consumer market and the economic growth of the nation by fostering a healthy consumer environment and the development of healthy and sustainable consumer habits among young people.

Effects of price path shapes and decision frames on emotions and investment decisions: Experimental evidence

We extend the literature on emotions and financial decisions by varying the agent (private investor, fund manager, delegation to a fund manager) in an investment experiment. We additionally vary the decision situation (buy or sell) and the shape of displayed price paths (convex, concave, or straight). We measure the investment behavior and the emotional valence evoked by the price paths. Independent of the type of agent, we confirm that price path shapes are related to investment behavior and emotions. In particular, concave shapes are associated with lower investments and valence. Finally, we provide evidence for a mediating role of valence.

Media Coverage of Sports Concussion: An Experimental Study of Framing Effects on Community Injury Perceptions

The media portrayal of sports concussion (SC) contributes to community understanding of injury. However, this could be hampered by inaccurately framed (minimising) SC coverage. 157 volunteers were randomly allocated to one of six online survey conditions. The conditions used a brief written news sports report with a non-serious (MI) or serious (MA) SC frame. Additional conditions varied the injured player’s sex (male or female) or the sport (unnamed or basketball). Standardised measures were administered, including the Illness Perceptions Questionnaire-Revised, and a custom-measure of perceptions of SC seriousness (SISI). A series of one-way ANOVA’s revealed one statistically significant framing effect for the SISI ( p < .05, large effect). Post-hoc pairwise comparisons found higher SISI scores for MA compared to MI conditions. There was no difference in the player sex or sport variants. No differences were found on other outcome measures. This study replicated a MA versus MI framing effect on the SISI, however wider effects were not seen. The framing effect on community perceptions of SC may be more circumscribed than previously suggested. While this requires further investigation, minimising frames should still be avoided as per existing recommendations.

Empowering Informed Life Insurance Decisions: The Impact of Financial Literacy on Framing Effects

This study investigates the impact of financial literacy on consumers’ intention to purchase life insurance policies with a framing effect. Although life insurance companies use framing to nudge consumers, this marketing tactic fails to foster long-term relationships and informed decisions. The study introduced a financial literacy education comparing the benefits of life insurance with traditional banking instruments. Using a rating-based conjoint analysis experiment, the effects of financial literacy on premium and benefit framing were tested and analyzed with three-way ANCOVA and Hayes Process. Results indicate that financial literacy significantly increases purchase intention for policies with monthly premiums and aggregate benefits.

Investigating the effects of political correctness in social marketing messaging

Purpose Obesity imposes myriad negative consequences upon society, the economy and personal well-being. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of using political correctness (PC) in social marketing messages to persuade consumers to change their unhealthy behavior. It also explores various underlying mechanisms that drive this effect. Specifically, this research studies that messaging approach – politically correct vs politically incorrect and gain vs loss message framing – generates higher consumer intentions to change their behavior. Design/methodology/approach Four experiments were conducted with nationally representative samples to examine the effect of PC and gain vs loss message framing on consumers’ behavior changing intentions. Findings Politically correct prosocial marketing messages displayed higher persuasiveness than politically incorrect messages. Each relationship was mediated by the perceived manipulative capacity of the message and consumers’ attitudes toward the message. Message framing performed as a boundary condition for these effects. Research limitations/implications This paper sought to contribute to the literature that investigates the effectiveness of social marketing efforts. Three specific contributions related to the effects of message frames on politically correct and incorrect social marketing messages were developed. Practical implications The strategies presented in this paper benefit firms wishing to create a more prosocial approach to their business. A firm can present a prosocial message to their target market in a frame focusing on what will be gained instead of lost. Likewise, firms should welcome this type of messaging that embraces politically correct terminology instead of shying away from it. Originality/value This paper generates actionable insights for marketers and policymakers regarding how best to communicate with targeted segments about culturally- and personally sensitive topics related to obesity and weight loss. This paper also contributes to the literature that explores the effectiveness of social marketing initiatives. The findings suggest policymakers and social marketers should be cautious and, regardless of today’s sociopolitical environment, avoid falling into the temptation of developing politically incorrect and loss-framed messages.

Social discounting in a symmetric giving and taking frame: An artifactual field experiment with young South African adults.

In the dictator game, the evidence that giving is equivalent to taking is mixed. The purpose of this study was to investigate framing effects (giving/taking) on social-discounting rates among young African adults from an informal settlement in South Africa. Employing a within-participant design, these young adults completed a series of incentivized dictator games with an isomorphically equivalent giving and taking frame at each of eight social distances. Altruism was measured by the social-discounting rate, and framing effects were assessed using generalized linear regression. The study provides empirical evidence that prosocial behavior among young South African adults is subject to framing because exponential, hyperbolic, and q-exponential social-discounting rates in all instances were lower in the taking than in the giving frame. This difference may be the result of greater "egalitarianism" and "selflessness" elicited by the taking frame, which likely is a product of the experiment's particular social and economic field context. More comparative research is required to establish the working of specific mechanics of morality that may operate differently in diverse socioeconomic contexts, thus contributing to elucidating the heterogeneous nature of findings in this area of study.

Language mediation training and the foreign‑language effect in moral decision‑making*

Abstract Moral cognition is an emerging field investigating the cognitive underpinnings of moral judgement and moral decision-making. Of particular interest for Cognitive Translation and Interpreting Studies (CTIS) is the impact of the use of a foreign language on the cognitive processes associated with moral decision making, what has been labeled “Foreign Language Effect” (FLE). Using a second language has been reported to reduce decision-making biases, doing away with framing effects in risk aversion settings. At the same time, moral dilemmas posed in a second language prompt more utilitarian responses than when presented in the subjects’ native tongues. These results beg the following question for the CTIS scholar: does language mediation training mitigate the FLE? This paper reports on an exploratory study investigating the impact of language mediation training on the FLE. Drawing from Costa et al. (2014), 1st and 4th year, bilingual students in a Translation and Interpreting degree are presented with the trolley dilemma both in their L1, L2, and L3. Initial results seem to indicate that language mediation training might have an impact on the FLE. However, the limitations of the study suggest the need for further exploration of the intersection between language mediation training and the FLE.

Framing Effects of Emphasis and Form in Emergemcy Communication: A Study of Preventive Behaviors During the Covid-19 Pandemic in Japan

ABSTRACT This study examines the impact of frame differences on preventive behaviors in COVID-19 pandemic information. Survey experiments using large samples of Japanese participants led to the detection of framing effects of the emphasis levels and forms of information. Information framed with high severity was found to intensively influence citizens in refraining from going out. Moreover, this study demonstrates that episodic information facilitates preventive behaviors in discretionary activities. The episodic information has more intensively impacted through heuristic processing by providing exemplars. This study contributes to the reevaluation of government practices on information dissemination using various forms and intensity levels of information.

Corporate political action and R&D investments: complementary effects and the role of communication in overcoming ex-post transaction costs

Purpose This study aims to investigate the role of interfirm communication on the complementary effect between corporate political action (CPA) and research and development (R&D) investments under transaction costs. Design/methodology/approach A quasi-experiment study design was used, combining business game simulation and a public goods experiment with communication as a controlled variable. A fixed-effect regression analysis was performed on panel data collected from 72 students. Findings The findings indicate that collective CPA is positively and significantly associated with R&D investments, particularly when interfirm communication is present. Conversely, for non-communicating firms, the effect is limited to the relationship between individual CPA and R&D investment. Research limitations/implications Despite advancing the research on political ties and innovation, the study acknowledges limitations related to framing effects and institutional variability. Practical implications The complementary effects indicate that institutional arrangements (i.e. business associations) may foster interfirm communication and cooperation in CPA efforts, mitigating opportunistic behaviours and legitimising CPA strategy towards innovation. Social implications This study contributes to understanding how firms’ political and R&D decisions can positively impact innovation, despite the challenges of ex post transaction costs. Originality/value The positive effect of communication on political action and cooperation on firms’ innovation, even in weak institutional environments, is highlighted. An innovative methodological approach combining business games and economic experiments was used to examine participants’ decisions under transaction costs.

Framing the Default.

A key finding within nudging research is the default effect, where individuals are inclined to stay with a default option when faced with a decision, rather than exploring alternatives (e.g., a preselected job opportunity among two alternatives). Similarly, the study of framing effects delves into how the presentation and context of decisions influence choices (e.g., choosing vs. rejecting a job opportunity among two alternatives). Specifically, previous literature examining choosing versus rejecting decision frames in various situations has found that these frames do not invariably complement each other; therefore, individuals' preferences vary based on the task frame. Yet, simultaneous testing of multiple nudges remains relatively unexplored in the literature. In the current study involving 1,072 participants, we examined how framing and default effects can influence decision-making in hypothetical scenarios. The decision scenarios involved two different domains-work and health. We found that framing had a strong effect on decision-making in both work and health domains, whereas default setting contributed only to a limited extent in the work domain and no effect was found in the health domain, mirroring related recent research findings. We argue for a more careful design of nudge interventions when multiple overlapping nudges are used and for a contextual approach to applying behavioral science to citizens.