Temporal framing and persuasion to adopt preventive health behavior: moderating effects of individual differences in consideration of future consequences on sunscreen use.
OBJECTIVE
Previous work on temporal framing of health communications has focused upon detection behaviors that possess an inherent immediate risk of negative consequences. The present studies evaluate the role of temporal frame for a preventive behavior, using sunscreen.


METHODS
Two experimental field studies manipulated the temporal frame in which positive and negative consequences of using sunscreen were presented.


METHODS
Cognitive responses, intention, and behavior (experiment 2).


RESULTS
Consistent with hypotheses, Experiment 1 showed that individual differences in consideration of future consequences (CFC; A. Strathman, F. Gleicher, D. S. Boninger, & C. S. Edwards, 1994) moderated (a) the processing of long- versus short-term consequences and (b) the persuasive impact of the different temporal frames on behavioral intentions. In Experiment 2, the balance of positive versus negative thoughts generated by reading the persuasive communications was shown to mediate the effects of the Temporal Frame x CFC interaction on a behavioral measure.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings extend previous work by demonstrating the importance of individual differences in CFC to the processing of health communication about a preventive health behavior and to a behavioral outcome.
Orbell
Sheina
S
Department of Psychology, University of Essex, Colchester, Essex CO4 3SQ, United Kingdom. sorbell@essex.ac.uk
Kyriakaki
Maria
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003071:Cognition; D003142:Communication; D004358:Drug Therapy / Q000639:trends*; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010565:Persuasive Communication; D013473:Sunscreening Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors
D013473:Sunscreening Agents