title: Dispositional motivations and message framing: a test of the congruency hypothesis in college students.
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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563, USA. mann@psych.ucla.edu
authors.forename: Traci
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mann
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sherman
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Updegraff
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D003742:Dental Devices, Home Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D011582:Psychological Theory; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities