Message Framing: How Source Credibility Moderates the Effects of Outcome Type and Outcome Valence

Abstract

Persuaders can frame a message positively or negatively. Positively framed messages accentuate the advantages of following the recommended course of action (that is, of message compliance). Negatively framed messages emphasize the disadvantages of noncompliance (O’Keefe and Jensen, 2006). Since the topic gained much interest, several studies have compared the persuasiveness of positively and negatively framed messages. Overall, the studies did neither demonstrate a general advantage of positively framed messages nor of negatively framed messages (see the meta-analysis by O’Keefe and Jensen, 2008).