Abstract
The authors examined the congruency hypothesis that health messages framed to be concordant with dispositional motivations will be most effective in promoting health behaviors. Undergraduate students (N = 63) completed a measure of approach/avoidance orientation (behavioral activation/inhibition system) and read a gain- or loss-framed message promoting flossing. Results support the congruency hypothesis: When given a loss-framed message, avoidance-oriented people reported flossing more than approach-oriented people, and when given a gain-framed message, approach-oriented people reported flossing more than avoidance-oriented people. Discussion centers on implications for health interventions and the route by which dispositional motivations affect health behaviors through message framing.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 330-334 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Health Psychology |
| Volume | 23 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - May 2004 |
Keywords
- Approach and avoidance motivation
- Behavior change
- Message framing