The 2015 International Conference of Management Sciences ICoMS 2015, April 23, UMY, Indonesia 56
2.3. Message Framing
Message framing theory describes how a persuasive message is delivered to the recipient of the message. In
communication process, persuasive messages can be presented in a positive framed message gain framed
message that emphasize aspects of the benefits that would be obtained if the message is obeyed, or in a
negative message framing loss framed messages which emphasizes the aspect of risk that would occur if
the message is not obeyed. So, there are two types of message framing. The first type is the negative framed
message and the second type is positive framed message.
2.4. The Effects of Message Framing on Persuasion
The dependent variable that is widely used in the model of message framing is persuasion OKeefe and Jensen,
2006. The variables in the message that affect persuasion generally work by giving instructions or
arguments, creates a bias in the processing of information and determining the amount of elaboration
involved to the message Petty et al., 1997. The occurrence of persuasion also can be caused by several
things related to the source of the message, the message characteristics and the characteristics of the message
recipient. One source of the persuasion that is caused by the characteristics of the message is the presentation of
the message in the form of message framing Olson and Zanna, 1993. Information processing when a person
receives a message in the framed message associated with psychological processes that people use to test the
information, make decisions and draw conclusions about the world around them. According Hallahan
1999, framing works by creating a bias in the cognitive processing of information by individuals.
2.5. Differential Effects of Positive and Negative
Framed Messages on Persuasion
Based on the literatures review Fatmawati, 2012, research on message framing is mostly perform in
health behavior context, consumer behavior and risky decisions. Message framing research in energy
conservation context carried by Gonzales et al. 1988 with a quasi-experimental design. Research by
laboratory experiments design conducted Davis 1995 in environmentally friendly behavior 3R reduce, reuse
and recycle context. In health behavior area, research on message framing is performed in an effort to
encourage disease detection and prevention behavior.
In health and consumer behavior context, there is a tendency of negative compare to positive framed
message effectiveness. However, overally, results of the previous research in message fraing is still inconclusive
Donovan and Jalleh, 1999; Cox et al., 2006; Chang, 2007. In energy conservation area Gonzales et al.
1988 and in environmental friendly behavior including recycling, conservation and green behavior area Davis,
1995. research findings on message framing support for the effectiveness of the negative framed message.
The advantages of persuasion power of negative message framing can be explained by Tversky and
Kahnemans opinion 1981 which states that basically people do not like the lossrisk when considering the
results or benefits, but more like the risk when considering the loss or expense. Thus, when the output
is presented in a negative frame emphasis on lossrisk that will occur they prefer a more risky option. This
opinion is based on the findings of Kahneman and Tversky classic experiment 1979 about the deadly
fatal disease. Kahneman and Tverskys experiments have repeatedly replicated on different subjects.
The advantage persuasion power of negative message framing can also be explained by the results of the
research that indicate negative information is more effective than positive information because of some
information asymmetry between positive and negative information. The first asymmetry stated that the
negative information usually has a disproportionate influence on decisions than equivalent positive
information. The second asymmetry explains that negative stimuli more easily recognizable. Research
shows negative stimuli can be detected at lower exposure levels than positive one.
Research findings on message framing also enriched with the support for positive framed message
effectiveness such as study of Levin and Gaeth 1988, Maheswaran and Meyers-Levy 1990, Diamond and
Sanyal 1990, Rothman et al. 1993, Block and Keller 1995, Smith 1996 and Donovan and Jalleh 1999.
Investigation on previous studies showed that the effectiveness of positive message framing is happen on
on low-risk actions eg, detection of cholesterol in subjects with low levels of involvement in the study
Maheswaran and Meyers-Levy or preventive action context Rothman and Salovey , 1997. These findings
are consistent with Kahneman and Tversky opinion 1979 which states that individuals tend to avoid risk
when faced with problems that are presented within the positive framed message.
2.6. Need For Cognition
