Investigating Processes Linking Emotional Response to Impressions of Weight-loss Testimonials: The Role of Message Framing and Perceived Risk

In the current context of the global pandemic of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), health professionals are working with social scientists to inform government policy on how to slow the spread of the virus. An increasing amount of social scientific research has looked at the role of public message framing, for instance, but few studies have thus far examined the role of individual differences in emotional and personality-based variables in predicting virus-mitigating behaviors. In this study we recruited a large international community sample (N = 324) to complete measures of self-perceived risk of contracting COVID-19, fear of the virus, moral foundations, political orientation, and behavior change in response to the pandemic. Consistently, the only predictor of positive behavior change (e.g., social distancing, improved hand hygiene) was fear of COVID-19, with no effect of politically-relevant variables. We discuss these data in relation to the potentially functional nature of fear in global health crises.

Download Full-text

Framing Messages to Deal With the COVID-19 Crisis: The Role of Loss/Gain Frames and Content

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.568212 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Carlos Gantiva ◽

William Jiménez-Leal ◽

Joan Urriago-Rayo

Keyword(s):

Perceived Risk ◽

Message Framing ◽

Self Care ◽

Choice Task ◽

Health Messages ◽

Intention To Adopt ◽

Increased Risk ◽

The Media ◽

Gain Frame

The goal of this study was to test the role of message framing for effective communication of self-care behaviors in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, contrasting health and economic-focused messages. We presented 319 participants with an unforced choice task where they had to select the message that they believed was more effective to increase intentions toward self-care behaviors, motivate self-care behaviors in others, increase perceived risk and enhance perceived message strength. Results showed that gain-frame health messages increased intention to adopt self-care behaviors and were judged to be stronger. Loss-framed health messages increased risk perception. When judging effectiveness for others, participants believed other people would be more sensitive to messages with an economic focus. These results can be used by governments to guide communication for the prevention of COVID-19 contagion in the media and social networks, where time and space for communicating information are limited.

Download Full-text

"The Role of Message Framing and Message Orientation on Public Campaign Message Strategy for Korean Traditional Culture: Focused on Effect of Perceived Value and Perceived Risk"

Journal of Consumer Studies ◽

10.35736/jcs.29.6.3 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 29 (6) ◽

pp. 49-76

Author(s):

Hyeon-Cheol Kim ◽

Huyn-seung Park

Keyword(s):

Perceived Risk ◽

Message Framing ◽

Perceived Value ◽

Traditional Culture ◽

Message Strategy ◽

Public Campaign ◽

Campaign Message

Download Full-text

Designing messages for fluorosis mitigation behavior change: Role of message framing and perceived risk

Health Marketing Quarterly ◽

10.1080/07359683.2018.1524596 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 35 (4) ◽

pp. 280-297

Author(s):

Nilamadhab Mohanty ◽

Saswata N. Biswas ◽

Debiprasad Mishra ◽

Pratik Modi

Keyword(s):

Behavior Change ◽

Perceived Risk ◽

Message Framing

Download Full-text

Funny but aversive: A large-scale survey of the emotional response to Covid-19 humor in the Italian population during the lockdown

10.31234/osf.io/efk93 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Luca Bischetti ◽

Paolo Canal ◽

Valentina Bambini

Keyword(s):

Perceived Risk ◽

Emotional Response ◽

Large Scale ◽

Emotional Impact ◽

Italian Population ◽

Key Factors ◽

Dark Humor ◽

Large Scale Survey ◽

And Gender

We often see an upsurge of humor inspired by tragic circumstances: this happened also during the Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) outbreak. However, little is known about the emotional response to tragedy-triggered humor, let alone Covid-19 humor. With a large-scale survey completed during the early stages of Italy’s lockdown, we studied the appreciation (funniness and aversiveness) of different formats of Covid-19 humor shared on social media. Results of an analysis of the role of demographic, personality, and psychological distance factors with linear mixed models showed that Covid-19 humor lacks a “signature” of funniness, but displays a mark of aversiveness. Among demographics, age and gender were key factors: with increasing age and in women, Covid-19 humor was judged as more aversive. Individuals using humor to cope with uneasy circumstances judged Covid-19 humor as funnier and less aversive. Furthermore, the perceived risk of infection amplified Covid-19 humor aversiveness, while kilometrical distance from the first Italian contagion hotspot raised the amusement in global terms. These findings expand our knowledge about dark humor and should raise awareness of the great variation in the emotional impact of Covid-19 humor and of the need to ponder where and with whom to share the laugh about the pandemic.

Download Full-text