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Motivational compatibility and the role of anticipated feelings in positively valenced persuasive message framing
Author(s) -
Yi Sunghwan,
Baumgartner Hans
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
psychology and marketing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.035
H-Index - 116
eISSN - 1520-6793
pISSN - 0742-6046
DOI - 10.1002/mar.20250
Subject(s) - persuasion , regulatory focus theory , feeling , framing (construction) , psychology , social psychology , valence (chemistry) , situational ethics , framing effect , physics , structural engineering , quantum mechanics , creativity , engineering
Previous research on message framing has focused on the effect of overall valence on persuasion, since most studies compare positively versus negatively valenced frames that are anchored by the same end‐state. Unlike previous studies, this paper investigates the role of end‐states, or outcome focus, in message framing by using two positively valenced, factually equivalent message frames that are anchored by opposing end‐states: the presence of gain (P/G) frame versus the absence of loss (A/L) frame. It is proposed that anticipated feelings and persuasion are greater when the end‐state of the message frame is motivationally compatible with a consumer's regulatory focus, either chronic or situational. The major hypothesis is that the P/G frame leads to the anticipation of more intense positive feelings and subsequently produces greater persuasion when promotion focus versus prevention focus is salient, whereas the opposite holds for the A/L frame. Furthermore, it is proposed that the effect of motivational compatibility on persuasion is mediated by the anticipation of positive feelings. These hypotheses are generally supported in two experiments. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.