When to Accentuate the Negative: The Effects of Perceived Efficacy and Message Framing on Intentions to Perform a Health-Related Behavior

Abstract

The authors explore the relationship between perceived efficacy, depth of processing, and message framing. They conduct two experiments on varying health-related issues: sexually transmitted disease and skin cancer. In both studies, the authors demonstrate that a low efficacy condition (i.e., when it is uncertain that following the recommendations will lead to the desired outcome) motivates more in-depth processing. They then show that when subjects process in-depth, negative frames are more persuasive than positive ones. In contrast, a high efficacy condition generates less effortful message processing in which positive and negative frames are equally persuasive.

Promoting Volunteerism: Effects of Self-Efficacy, Advertisement-Induced Emotional Arousal, Perceived Costs of Volunteering, and Message Framing

“…Second, and contrary to hypothesis H3, it appears that low self-efficacy does not lead to deeper processing of advertising stimuli. Hence, the findings of Block and Keller (1995) regarding the interaction effect of general efficacy and message framing do not apply to this paper. Interestingly, the manipulation of self-efficacy perceptions has an impact only on men's willingness to volunteer.…”

“…But these divergent findings are conditional by virtue of diverse factors which have an impact on the strength and direction of message framing effects. According to Block and Keller (1995), loss frames have a stronger (less strong) impact on behavioral intention when individuals (do not) process information with cognitive elaboration. Since voluntary work does not involve distinct monetary, financial, or social risks, it is assumed that people do not process voluntary organization's advertising messages with pronounced cognitive elaboration.…”

“…In opposition to Meyerowitz and Chaiken (1987), Banks et al (1995) could not demonstrate the described effect of message framing on self-efficacy perceptions. Block and Keller (1995) provided an argument which can be used to justify the consecutively presumed interaction effect theoretically. It should be noted that Block and Keller (1995) did not take perceived self-efficacy into account but considered the general efficacy of health-related behavior (e.g., immunization against tick-borne diseases) instead.…”

“…Block and Keller (1995) provided an argument which can be used to justify the consecutively presumed interaction effect theoretically. It should be noted that Block and Keller (1995) did not take perceived self-efficacy into account but considered the general efficacy of health-related behavior (e.g., immunization against tick-borne diseases) instead. It is assumed that negatively framed information has a stronger behavioral impact when communication messages are processed with stronger cognitive elaboration.…”

Consumer Sovereignty in Healthcare: Fact or Fiction?

“…Policy makers should have healthcare marketers provide easy-to-understand information about their offerings. When consumers better understand their options, they may be in a position to choose wisely (Block and Keller, 1995). Increased health knowledge can improve one's health and overall life satisfaction (Rahtz and Szykman, 2008).…”