Seeking More Information and Conversations: Influence of Competitive Frames and Motivated Processing

Abstract

A consistently growing body of research focuses on the concept of framing. The present study contributes to framing effects literature in three ways: the study examines frames in competitive environment, investigates the influence of motivated processing, and the effects on behavioral intentions of participants. The data were collected using an experiment embedded in a Web-based survey of participants employing the issue of civil liberties conflict. The study used a 2 (motivated processing) × 3 (framed conditions) between-subjects design. Findings show that in case of both the outcomes of behavioral intent, willingness to seek information and talk, motivated processing intensified framing effects and specifically so in the mixed frame condition.