MESSAGE FRAMING, SELF-DISCREPANCIES, AND YIELDING TO PERSUASIVE MESSAGES - THE MOTIVATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL SITUATIONS

Subjects possessing two distinct types of self-discrepancies, actual:i deal (AI) and actual:ought (AO), read a persuasive message about the i mportance of eating breakfast, framed in terms of either positive or n egative outcomes. On the basis of an analysis of each discrepancy type as a chronic, individual motivational force and each frame as a momen tary, situational motivational force, the positive outcome frame was p redicted to be more effective than the negative outcome frame in motiv ating AO subjects to change their eating patterns; the opposite was pr edicted for AI subjects. The results supported this prediction. AO sub jects' thoughts, feelings, and intentions showed a stronger persuasive effect of positive outcome framing than of negative outcome framing; the opposite was true for AI subjects. The predicted interaction was a lso found on an immediate behavioral commitment measure. On a delayed action measure, only the effect predicted for AO subjects was found.