Abstract
The framing effect occurs when behavior or attitudes are changed based on a message that is framed in terms of potential gains or losses. The framing effect is frequently used in health communication and health promotion to persuade and elicit behavior changes (e.g., promote a healthy lifestyle). Multiple factors can impact the framing effect, such as the source of the information or message (e.g., a doctor or a friend source) and domain. However, the research on how framing is related to health-related attitudes and behaviors remains mixed. In this study, we examined the susceptibility of the framing effect in three health domains: prevention, treatment, and promotion. We also measured several outcomes, including intention to engage in a behavior, the likelihood of sharing information, and the evaluation of the information (e.g., trustworthiness). A total of 552 participants were recruited for this study. Our results indicate that when utilizing framing for health communication, a gain frame succeeds in persuading others to share health information and engage in health behaviors. However, our findings on the influence of source were mixed. It is clear from our study’s findings how framing health information is vital in assisting medical professionals and others to communicate important health information.