Framing Effects Research Articles

The framing effect and sustainable hotel booking behaviour: A nudge marketing study

This study examines whether message framing affects visitors' propensity to adopt more sustainable choices by emphasising the possible gains or losses associated with certain behaviours. The research seeks to assess the efficacy of gain-and-loss framing in motivating individuals to book sustainable hotel accommodations while travelling. This article utilises the theoretical frameworks of prospect theory and framing effects. We studied 116 people who booked hotels online in a randomised, controlled study. The three groups consisted of a control group, a gain- frame group informed about the benefits of sustainable hotels, and a loss-frame group informed about the disadvantages of non-sustainable hotels. The significant difference among the three scenarios was evident; the gain-frame effect was more pronounced. Implementing gain-frames may influence consumers' decision-making about more sustainable hotel bookings. This report provides actionable insights for marketers, including successful tactics to communicate hotel companies' sustainable practices and business values. It enhances the existing knowledge by using nudge marketing and framing effects to demonstrate their potential use in encouraging sustainable habits in hotel bookings.

Cults and Persuasion: Submission as Preference Shifting

The literature on mind manipulation is often spoilt by the specious use of the metaphor of “brainwashing”. This is sometimes done under the guise of emphasising the irrationality of manipulation and showing that it lies outside the realm of science. This paper will instead show how the findings of experimental psychology and behavioural economics lead to the identification of a process of change in thinking and behaviour that can be described in scientific terms. This process is achieved through a slow self-selection of recruits and an equally gradual increase in requirements. The classic Milgram experiment is a suitable instrument for explaining this. The framing effect identified by Tversky and Khaneman, which is so important in marketing, can bring about counterproductive decisions in a context that makes them reasonable for those who make them. This is to show that there is nothing magical or metaphysical about mind control, as long as it is understood as a process of conditioning that works through progressive selection and leads to an increase in conformism in a closed environment. Instead, the idea of rational choice, on which the defence of manipulative cults is based, is displaced from the scientific realm. Keywords: Cults, Rational Choice Theory, Behavioural Economics, Tversky, Kahneman, Social Psychology, Milgram, Persuasion, Brainwashing, Mind Control

Visual Constructs of Conflict and Solidarity: The Role of Visual Framing on Public Perceptions and Engagement Intentions with Social Protests

This study investigates the role of visual framing in shaping public perceptions of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests through an online experiment, informed by news value and protest paradigm theory. It specifically examines the effects of conflict versus solidarity visual frames on audience reactions when paired with textual framing of protest goals. Results indicate that solidarity visuals significantly decrease negative perceptions about protesters compared to conflict visuals, increase positive affect, and boost engagement intentions. Furthermore, the interaction between visual and textual framing demonstrates that “defund” and “reform” messages paired with solidarity visuals effectively reduce negative perceptions. These findings underscore the impact of visual elements in news coverage, highlighting the need for ethical considerations in visual journalism and suggesting that such framing can significantly influence audience attitudes and engagement with social issues.

Do people like financial nudges?

Abstract Do people like financial nudges? To answer that question we conducted a pre-registered survey presenting people with 36 hypothetical scenarios describing financial interventions. We varied levels of transparency (i.e., explaining how the interventions worked), framing (interventions framed in terms of spending, or saving), and ‘System’ (interventions could target either System 1 or System 2). Participants were a random sample of 2,100 people drawn from a representative Australian population. All financial interventions were tested across six dependent variables: approval, benefit, ethics, manipulation, the likelihood of use, as well as the likelihood of use if the intervention were to be proposed by a bank. Results indicate that people generally approve of financial interventions, rating them as neutral to positive across all dependent variables (except for manipulation, which was reverse coded). We find effects of framing and System. People have strong and significant preferences for System 2 interventions, and interventions framed in terms of savings. Transparency was not found to have a significant impact on how people rate financial interventions. Financial interventions continue to be rated positive, regardless of the messenger. Looking at demographics, we find that participants who were female, younger, living in metro areas and earning higher incomes were most likely to favor financial interventions, and this effect is especially strong for those aged under 45. We discuss the implications for these results as applied to the financial sector.

Applications of Behavioral Economics and Neuroeconomics in Mental Health

Objective: The integration of behavioral economics and neuroeconomics into mental health offers innovative perspectives on understanding and addressing psychological disorders. This overview aims to synthesize current knowledge and explore the implications of these interdisciplinary approaches in the context of mental health. Method: In this narrative review, we summarized the current evidence regarding the applications of behavioral economics and neuroeconomics approaches in the field of mental health. Results: Behavioral economics and neuroeconomics provide valuable insights into the cognitive and emotional processes underlying mental health disorders, such as irrational decision-making, impulsivity, and self-control issues. Concepts such as loss aversion, temporal discounting, and framing effects inform the development of innovative interventions and policy initiatives. Behavioral economic interventions, including nudges, incentives, and commitment devices, show promise in promoting treatment adherence, reducing risky behaviors, and enhancing mental well-being. Neuroeconomics contributes by identifying neural markers predictive of treatment response and relapse risk, paving the way for personalized treatment approaches. Conclusion: The integration of behavioral economics and neuroeconomics into mental health research and practice holds significant potential for improving the understanding of psychological disorders and developing more effective, personalized interventions. Further research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms of action, optimize intervention strategies, and address ethical considerations associated with these approaches in mental health settings.

The Power of Words: Exploring the Role of Psycholinguistics in Enhancing Communication, Motivation, and Performance in the Workplace

This study investigates the application of psycholinguistics in workplace communication, emphasizing its influence on employee motivation, productivity, and relational dynamics. By exploring the intersection of psycholinguistics and industrial-organizational psychology, the research highlights how language shapes perception, emotion, and cognitive processing, directly impacting organizational performance. Drawing on motivational language theories and framing effects, the study reveals that strategic communication fosters inclusivity, cooperation, and a supportive culture. Tailored communication strategies, such as utilizing positive framing and culturally sensitive language, enhance employee engagement and reduce turnover. Additionally, the integration of psycholinguistic principles into managerial practices promotes relational energy, satisfaction, and innovation within diverse cultural contexts. The findings underscore the importance of investing in communication training to equip leaders with motivational language skills, enabling organizations to achieve sustainable growth while addressing modern challenges like diversity and technological advancements. This interdisciplinary approach offers a robust framework for improving workplace dynamics, combining theoretical insights with practical strategies for fostering a cohesive and high-performing organizational environment. By bridging psycholinguistics with industrial-organizational psychology, this study provides valuable recommendations for leveraging language as a transformative tool to enhance workplace outcomes.

"Feeling the Pain of Others": Examining the Framing Effects of Cancer Metaphors on Media Vicarious Traumatization.

When exposed to traumatic events through media coverage, how do we emotionally appraise the situation? Although many factors contribute to our reasoning about media vicarious traumatization, in this article we focus on the role of metaphorical frames. This study uses an online survey experiment (N = 280 CHN adults) to investigate how irrational beliefs influence the effects of metaphorical frames on media vicarious traumatization, with a focus on the mediating role of transportation. The findings revealed that journey metaphors increased media vicarious traumatization more than war metaphors in conditions of low irrational beliefs, while no significant difference was observed in conditions of high irrational beliefs. The interaction between metaphorical frames and irrational beliefs indirectly affected media vicarious traumatization through transportation. These results improve our understanding of the framing effects of cancer metaphors and suggest practical strategies for media health coverage.

Influences of service, reference groups and framing effects on the intentions of short-term rental users

ABSTRACT This study examines the influences of short-term rental services, reference groups, and information framing effects on consumers’ intentions to rent short-term rental properties. This study used a behavioural economics approach to analyze consumers’ intentions towards renting short-term rental properties. Using the concepts of reference groups and framing effects in addition to the three factors of location, price, and short-term rental services, this study proposes a conceptual framework model. Structural equation modelling was used for the parameter estimation. The study area included Kaohsiung City and Pingtung County. A total of 314 questionnaires were administered, from which 305 valid responses were obtained, indicating an effective response rate of 97.10%. The empirical results reveal that short-term rental services, reference groups, and framing effects had no direct significant influences on rental intentions. However, the three variables had indirect influences on rental intentions through the full mediator variable of attitudes. These findings highlight the importance of rental services, reference groups, and framing effects in analyzing consumers’ intentions towards short-term rental services.

The Influence of Information Disclosure on Real Estate Buyers' Behavioral Decisions in the New Media Era - A Research Perspective Based on Behavioral Economics

Information disclosure in the new media era has an important influence on real estate buyers' behavioral decisions. This paper studies the influence of information disclosure on real estate buyers' behavioral decision-making in the media era based on existing literature. It summarizes the status quo and characteristics of information disclosure in the media era; from the perspective of behavioral economics, it analyzes the process and reasons why these status quo and characteristics affect buyers' decision-making: herd behavior makes buyers more inclined to follow the decision of the public, the framing effect causes buyers to make impulsive consumption, and the preferential payment policies of the developers also motivate buyers to make choices. It also reveals the mechanisms behind them; it is expected to provide effective practical help for both sides of the real estate market and the development of the media market.

The effects of message framing on US police chiefs’ support for interventions for opioid use disorder: a randomized survey experiment

BackgroundUS chiefs of police hold significant influence over the perceived acceptability and appropriateness of interventions for opioid use disorder (OUD) among the public, elected officials, and subordinate officers. This study assessed whether police chiefs’ support for such interventions was sensitive to framing an intervention’s benefits in terms that emphasize public health and harm reduction outcomes, versus terms typically indicative of public safety outcomes.MethodsA two-armed survey utilizing a randomized, between-subjects design tested framing-based variance in support among US chiefs of police for overdose prevention centers, syringe service programs (SSPs), Good Samaritan laws, police naloxone distribution, trustworthiness of officers in recovery from OUD, and related propositions. Of 1,200 invitations, 276 chiefs participated (23%). The two experimental arms (n = 133, n = 143) were demographically balanced between both each other and non-respondents.ResultsChiefs were more likely to agree that their mission was protecting public safety than protecting public health, even when both were defined using public health outcomes. Chiefs expressed significantly greater support for “overdose prevention sites” than “safe injection sites” (p = .018), low levels of support for SSPs regardless of framing (18% safety; 19% health), and comparably more support for Good Samaritan laws based on framing (62% safety vs. 54% health). Respondents voiced low levels of trust in officers recovering from OUD generally (31%), and significantly lower levels of trust when recovery involved the medication buprenorphine (10%; p < .001). Senior chiefs were significantly more likely to support SSPs (aOR 1.05; CI 1.01, 1.09) and overdose prevention sites (aOR 2.45; CI 1.13, 5.28) than less senior chiefs.ConclusionsIn this cross-sectional survey experiment, support for some interventions for OUD was greater among US chiefs of police when framed to emphasize positive public safety outcomes. Research is required to better understand low support for SSPs, mistrust of officers in recovery for OUD, and greater support for OUD interventions among senior chiefs.

Emotional and Cognitive Processes Underlying Persuasion, Moderating Factors, and Physiological Reactions: A Systematic Review.

Persuasion is a type of social influence aiming to produce changes in others' attitudes or behaviors. This study explores the relationship between emotions and persuasion, principal moderating factors, and physiological reactions during persuasive attempts. Following PRISMA guidelines, 28 empirical articles were analyzed, addressing emotions, affective/cognitive orientations, framing effects, and psychophysiological reactions. Mixed findings emerged regarding emotions, with fear appeals being effective in health education, while more recent studies favor the use of positive persuasive messages to increase behavior intention. Principal moderating factors included personal relevance, need for cognition (NFC) and need for affect (NFA), thought confidence, vulnerability, and efficacy beliefs. Psychophysiological studies revealed distinct physiological arousal during persuasion processing compared to a rest state. In addition, a greater misalignment between current behavior and the persuasive attempt led to perceived freedom threat and psychological reactance. These insights enhance persuasive effectiveness and deepen understanding of persuasion processes, guiding future research directions.

When are consumers more likely to purchase counterfeit products? An exploration from the perspective of information framing in communication

The problem of counterfeiting is an ongoing challenge in China and in the global market. Apart from possible economic reasons, why do people buy counterfeit goods? This question is worth exploring. Unlike studies that address the purchase behavior of counterfeit products from the perspective of intrinsic drives, this study examines the effects of similarity, popularity, and brand prominence on the purchase intention of counterfeit products from the perspective of extrinsic drives of message framing in communication in the Chinese context. By means of vignette study, this research collected 586 valid samples from four studies. The findings indicate that 1) framed similarity (framed dissimilarity) has a (negative) positive effect on counterfeit purchase intention; 2) the effects of framed similarity and framed dissimilarity on counterfeit purchase intention are generated through a serial mediation via quality perceptions and attitude; 3) the positive effect of similarity framing on purchase intention is further enhanced by the perception of the counterfeit option being a popular choice; and 4) the brand prominence of the original product further enhances the moderating positive effect of the popularity of a counterfeit product on consumer behavior. The results of the study are valuable both theoretically and practically for resisting counterfeits and developing genuine brands.

A cyber–physical system prospect theoretic game through a VANET lens

AbstractIn this paper, the problem of attack mitigation in an intelligent transportation network or vehicular network is considered as a game. The player’s perception of uncertainty and decision making is studied under a subjective prospect theoretic (PT) model and an objective expected utility theory (EUT) model. A game where each player chooses one of two strategies with certain probabilities is analysed. The case where subjective players bias their choices of the probabilities using the Prelec weighting function is considered and compared with the EUT based decisions and the effect of the framing effect function and . The corresponding Nash equilibria (NE) are derived and found through the replicator dynamic equation. Under the Prelec function, the results agree with the previously published results that the defender is biased more into defending the more important road side units. However, under both the function and the framing effect, the players' behaviour does not depend on the loss penalty parameter, and the Prelec function dominates the framing effect. For small values, the players make conservative decisions compared to higher values regardless of the effect of the framing function. For high values the players are more certain in their decisions than the EUT players.

Exploring the Persuasiveness of Valenced Fake News: A Construal-Level Theory Perspective

This study explores how fake news messages impact readers’ perceptions of credibility. By combining valenced framing and construal-level theory, the research examines how temporal, spatial, and mental construal dimensions can moderate the relationship between fake news and credibility. A quantitative method was adopted, applying repeated-measures ANOVA analysis. To measure framing effects, 16 negative and 16 positive fake news stories about China were selected from the fact-checking database of Snopes.com. The respondents were chosen from students in the northwestern part of Russia and Hungary, due to the proximity of these countries to China. The results indicate that valenced fake news can be more persuasive when evaluating credibility for proximal events rather than for distant ones. Additionally, negative fake news that contains concrete information is found to be more influential on perceptions of believability. The study suggests that the level of credibility is significantly affected by the interplay between the type of valenced fake news frame and how concrete and abstract information is presented in the message. Furthermore, the implications and future research directions in the field of fake news are discussed.

The Psychology of Framing: How Everyday Language Shapes the Way We Think, Feel, and Act

When we use language to communicate, we must choose what to say, what not to say, and how to say it. That is, we must decide how to frame the message. These linguistic choices matter: Framing a discussion one way or another can influence how people think, feel, and act in many important domains, including politics, health, business, journalism, law, and even conversations with loved ones. The ubiquity of framing effects raises several important questions relevant to the public interest: What makes certain messages so potent and others so ineffectual? Do framing effects pose a threat to our autonomy, or are they a rational response to variation in linguistic content? Can we learn to use language more effectively to promote policy reforms or other causes we believe in, or is this an overly idealistic goal? In this article, we address these questions by providing an integrative review of the psychology of framing. We begin with a brief history of the concept of framing and a survey of common framing effects. We then outline the cognitive, social-pragmatic, and emotional mechanisms underlying such effects. This discussion centers on the view that framing is a natural—and unavoidable—feature of human communication. From this perspective, framing effects reflect a sensible response to messages that communicate different information. In the second half of the article, we provide a taxonomy of linguistic framing techniques, describing various ways that the structure or content of a message can be altered to shape people’s mental models of what is being described. Some framing manipulations are subtle, involving a slight shift in grammar or wording. Others are more overt, involving wholesale changes to a message. Finally, we consider factors that moderate the impact of framing, gaps in the current empirical literature, and opportunities for future research. We conclude by offering general recommendations for effective framing and reflecting on the place of framing in society. Linguistic framing is powerful, but its effects are not inevitable—we can always reframe an issue to ourselves or other people.

Positive and negative framing of complication risk and long-term outcomes influences decision-making in hip and knee arthroplasty.

The framing effect has been demonstrated in a variety of settings. This study aimed to determine whether framing of complication risk in total hip arthroplasty (THA) and long-term patient satisfaction rates in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) influences patient decision-making and 'worry' using hypothetical vignettes. Two cross-sectional survey studies were undertaken, one based on a THA vignette and one based on a TKA vignette. Participants were randomized into a positive-framing or negative-framing group and asked to read the vignette. They were then asked to indicate whether they would proceed with surgery, and to self-report their degree of 'worry' about surgery. For the THA vignette, the positive-framing group was informed '98% of people will have no major complications' while the negative-framing group was informed that '2% of people will have a major complication'. For the TKA vignette, the positive-framing group was informed '80/100 of people will be happy … once they have recovered' and the negative-framing group was informed '20/100 people will be unhappy … once they have recovered'. The vignettes were otherwise identical. The primary outcome was the decision to proceed with surgery. The secondary outcome was self-reported 'worry' about surgery. For the THA vignette (622 individuals) 294/310 (95%) indicated they would proceed with surgery in the positive-framing group while 275/312 (88%) indicated they would proceed with surgery in the negative-framing group (p=0.0037). For the TKA vignette (623 individuals), 302/311 (97.1%) indicated they would proceed with surgery in the positive-framing group and 280/312 (89.7%) indicated they would proceed with surgery in the negative-framing group (p=0.0003). Self-reported 'worry' differed based on positive or negative framing in both surveys. Framing of complication risk and long-term outcomes influences patient decision-making and 'worry' in a THA and TKA vignette. This has implications for shared decision-making and informed consent.

Climate Change Conversations Amongst Young Adults: On Conversational Safety and the Search for Consensus in Polarizing Interactions

ABSTRACT While much research has focused on the effectiveness of various climate change frames (i.e. cognitive), much less is known about how people co-construct the meaning of climate change in conversations (i.e. interactive). We conducted an interactional framing analysis on focus-group discussions about climate measures to examine how young adults interactively construct the meaning of climate issues, identities and relationships, and the conversational process. Our findings suggest that challenging discussions oftentimes lead to polarizing interactions, yet they also result in attempts to build conversational safety and consensus. These dynamics are defined by (a) the construction of shared truths and experiences; (b) joint fact-finding through constructive contestation; and (c) harmonizing through the active display of positive intent. We conclude that the interplay in the conversations impacts how young adults think about climate change, which provides fertile ground for future research.

Information Framing Effects on Diet Choices Among Chinese Urban Residents

Information Framing Effects on Diet Choices Among Chinese Urban Residents

How should I know? Lack of confidence biases stock market expectations toward zero

Consumers’ expectations of stock market movements are important for understanding individual decisions about consequential financial outcomes and forming economic policy. Across three studies, we posit a new relationship underlying reported stock market expectations: that respondents lack confidence about their ability to forecast stock market movements and this lack of confidence biases reported probabilities toward 0 %. In Study 1, using 10 years of nationally representative survey data, we show that stock market expectations are more pessimistic than warranted when compared to actual stock market movements. In Study 2, we measure stock market expectations in several nationally representative survey experiments over 12 monthly waves (n = 4,613 participants providing 21,670 survey responses) where participants are randomly assigned to report the chances that the stock market will be “lower” or “higher” over the next month and year. Reported probabilities are biased toward 0 % in each question frame, yielding a “framing effect” gap of >10 percentage points each wave. In Study 3, we find that confidence moderates this framing effect: when we manipulate confidence regarding one's ability to forecast the stock market, there is a smaller gap between “lower” and “higher” frames for those participants who have greater confidence. To our knowledge, this is the first research showing that a lack of confidence biases reported stock market probabilities toward 0 %. It also uncovers a framing effect that is counter to psychological theory on “valence framing” and helps explain prior research showing that people are pessimistic about the stock market.

Model choice and framing effects: Do discrete choice modeling decisions affect loss aversion estimates?

This paper examines whether the presence and magnitude of estimated loss aversion (LA) in a discrete choice experiment is a function of modeling choice. The experiment examined preferences for utility-scale solar energy siting based on a series of installation attributes and changes in household electric bill (the payment vehicle, which can increase or decrease relative to the status-quo). We employ multiple discrete choice modeling approaches and show that, across all models, the implications of accounting for loss aversion are qualitatively similar and match theoretical predictions. Despite this similarity, when comparing results across models we find that model choice has substantial impacts on estimated loss aversion. Specifically, different models estimate loss/gain ratios below two and in excess of six for the same data set. Thus, the consequences of framing decisions, which are an important aspect of nonmarket valuation, are not just the provenance of survey and choice experiment design but may also be heavily influenced by empirical model choice.