Pokharel M, Jensen JD, Taylor-Burton S, King AJ, John KK, Upshaw S. Temporal frames, temporal focus, and behavioral expectations: The persuasive impact of near and distant threats.
Soc Sci Med 2023;
328:115967. [PMID:
37229932 DOI:
10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.115967]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Ultraviolet (UV) photography and photoaging visuals make hidden sun damage visible to the naked eye, granting the potential to create messages that vary in temporal dimensionality. As UV photos depict immediate skin damage, the photo communicated that exposure in sun causes invisible damage to the young truck driver (near temporal frame) and visible damage (e.g., wrinkles) to the old truck driver (distant temporal frame).
OBJECTIVE
The current study examines the moderating effects of loss/gain frames and temporality variables on the relationship between temporal framing and sun safe behavioral expectations.
METHOD
U.S. adults (N = 897) were assigned to a 2 (near/distant temporal frame) × 2 (gain/loss frame) between-participants experiment.
RESULTS
The loss frame triggered greater fear compared to the gain frame, this fear forms an indirect path where loss frames increase fear and fear increases changes in sun safe behavioral expectations. Participants exposed to the distant frame had increased behavior expectations if either of the two temporality variables (CFC - future or current focus) were low. Participants with low temporality indicators (i.e., CFC - future, current focus, or future focus) exposed to the gain frame had increased behavior expectations.
CONCLUSIONS
The findings demonstrate the potential utility of temporal frames as a tool for designing strategic health messages.
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