For Better or for Worse? An Integrative Perspective of Message Framing Moderators’ Effects on Vaccination Sustainable Health Behavior Change

Abstract

Understanding how framing affects amessage can help health communication experts develop more creative and effective campaigns. Thisstudy is constructed starting from prospect theory (Kahneman andTversky), the stages of change model (Prochaska and Diclemente), and the theory of planned behavior (Ajzen) and is aimed at generating new hypotheses about message framing. The research questions are: What is the most effective message framing for changing health behaviors? What are the factors on which the effectiveness of gain-framed and loss-framed narratives depend? To answer these questions, we used a qualitative methodology based on focus groups (N = 8/67), in which we analyzed the way people interpret message framing and their subsequent intentions regarding the behavior of accepting or refusing anti-COVID-19 vaccination. The results support the idea that the choice between gain-framed or loss-framed narratives will be made according to moderators as peoples’ stages of change (contemplation or preparatory stage), perceived risk and vulnerability, and perceived control. The research hypotheses generated by this study indicate new routes for future persuasive health communication campaigns.