Disentangling the Effects of Temporal Framing on Risk Perception, Attitude, Behavioral Intention, and Behavior: A Multilevel Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Temporal framing is a messaging strategy that highlights either the proximal or distal consequences of a recommended behavior in communication efforts. The results of this meta-analysis of experimental studies on temporal framing supported the overall small advantage of proximal versus distal frames in facilitating persuasion ( r = .0659, k = 97, N = 6,808). Specifically, proximal frames were more effective than distal frames in increasing risk perception ( r = .0996, k = 14, N = 977) and behavioral intention ( r = .0715, k = 40, N = 5,888). However, no such effects were found on attitude or actual behavior. The temporal framing effect was stronger when (1) using specific time points for near future versus distant future, (2) applied to anti-smoking/drinking campaigns, and (3) using nonstudent samples. Besides, gain versus loss frame was a significant moderator of the temporal effect in studies on promoting healthy eating and anti-smoking/drinking.

Contributions of risk information frame to perceived risk, time orientation, and cancer drugs insurance purchasing decisions: based on a nationwide online survey experiment

“…Evidence drawn from CLT suggests that health messages linked temporal framing effects could in uence individuals' time orientation towards hazards and losses in health, and temporal framing effects in health advertising have also been found to affect future-orientation on perceived risk and behavioral intentions (Kees, 2010;Li et al, 2016). The latest ndings from a multilevel meta-analysis on temporal framing effects showed that gain (versus loss) framing was a signi cant moderator for temporal in uence on promoting healthy eating and anti-smoking/drinking behaviors, and proximal frames were more effective at increasing risk perception than distal frames (Huang & Xu, 2024). Nevertheless, although numerous literature indicated that a close connection between perceived risk and time orientation, some scholars do not believe that framing risk information would systematically change time orientation (Kees, 2010).…”