title: Effects of message framing on self-report and accelerometer-assessed physical activity across age and gender groups.
abstract: This study compared message-framing effects on physical activity (PA) across age and gender groups. Participants included 111 younger and 100 older adults (68% were women), randomly assigned to read gain-framed or loss-framed PA messages in promotion pamphlets, and who wore accelerometers for the following 14 days. Using regression analyses controlling for demographic and health factors, we found significant age-by-gender-by-framing interactions predicting self-report (B = -4.39, p = .01) and accelerometer-assessed PA (B = -2.44, p = .02) during the follow-up period. Gain-framed messages were more effective than loss-framed messages in promoting PA behaviors only among older men. We speculated that the age-related positivity effect, as well as the age and gender differences in issue involvement, explained the group differences in framing. In addition, more time availability and higher self-efficacy among older men might have contributed to the results.
authors: Department of Applied Social Studies, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong.
authors: Kin-Kit
authors: KK
authors: Li
authors: Sheung-Tak
authors: ST
authors: Cheng
authors: Helene H
authors: HH
authors: Fung
mesh_terms: D061725:Accelerometry / Q000379:methods*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015438:Health Behavior; D058015:Health Communication / Q000379:methods*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D010565:Persuasive Communication; D020377:Self Efficacy; D057566:Self Report; D017678:Sex Distribution; D055815:Young Adult