Persuasive Effects of Message Framing and Narrative Format on Promoting COVID-19 Vaccination: A Study on Chinese College Students
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Study Design and Participants
2.2. Message Stimuli
2.3. Measurements
2.3.1. Manipulation Checks
2.3.2. Intention to Get the COVID-19 Vaccine
2.3.3. Health Beliefs
2.3.4. Control Variables
2.4. Data Analysis Strategies
3. Results
3.1. Manipulation Checks Results
3.2. Main Effects
3.3. Mediation Effects
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Gain-Framed | Loss-Framed |
---|---|
Non-narrative Scientific studies and clinical trials have shown that getting the COVID-19 vaccine will bring benefits to the human body. After being vaccinated, your body will produce protective antibodies, thereby developing immunity to the virus, which will greatly reduce your likelihood of contracting COVID-19 and protect your life from the epidemic. You will no longer have to worry about being quarantined or required to undergo nucleic acid amplification testing at any time. Getting vaccinated can also make you better able to protect those around you and greatly reduce your likelihood of infecting others, especially those who are more susceptible to COVID-19. | Non-narrative Scientific studies and clinical trials have shown that not getting the COVID-19 vaccine will bring harm to the human body. If you do not get vaccinated, your body will not be able to produce protective antibodies, and you will not be able to develop immunity to the virus, which will greatly increase the likelihood that you will be infected with COVID-19. If you don’t get vaccinated, you will be plagued by the epidemic. You will often worry about being quarantined or required to undergo nucleic acid amplification testing. If you don’t get vaccinated, you won’t be able to better protect those around you. You will easily spread the virus to those around you, especially those who are more susceptible to COVID-19. |
Narrative Scientific studies and clinical trials have shown that getting the COVID-19 vaccine will bring benefits to the human body. The following is a self-report by Mr. Zhang, a vaccine volunteer from Wuhan: “I was in one of the first batches of volunteers to be vaccinated in Wuhan. The vaccination went smoothly and took only a few tens of seconds, just like a normal vaccine. No adverse reactions occurred in my body, and there was no redness or swelling at the injection site. Although I was quite worried about the severity of this epidemic, the vaccination made my body develop antibodies, which gave me immunity to the virus, so I am not afraid anymore. I really feel a sense of steadfastness that has been long gone! I feel that the health of myself and my family is completely guaranteed.” | Narrative Scientific studies and clinical trials have shown that not getting the COVID-19 vaccine will bring harm to the human body. The following is a self-report by Mr. Zhang, a person infected with COVID-19 from Wuhan: “I could have made an appointment for vaccination in Wuhan at the end of this year, but I didn’t go because I was worried about the potential risk, and the process was a little troublesome for me. Later, I felt soreness in my throat and had a fever a week later. Then, I went to the hospital for testing, and it was confirmed that I was infected with COVID-19. The doctor told me that if there is no vaccine and no antibodies to the virus are produced in the body, there is always a risk of infection. I really regretted that if I had been vaccinated earlier and got immunized, I wouldn’t be infected. So, don’t take any chances, and get vaccinated in time!” |
Dependent Variable: Intentions to Get the Vaccination | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Group | n | Mean | Standard Deviation | Standard Error Mean | 95% Confidence Interval of the Difference | Minimum | Maximum | |
Lower | Upper | |||||||
Gain | 145 | 3.5629 | 1.0088 | 0.0838 | 3.3973 | 3.7284 | 1.0000 | 5.0000 |
Loss | 153 | 3.8954 | 0.8142 | 0.0658 | 3.7654 | 4.0255 | 1.0000 | 5.0000 |
Total | 298 | 3.7336 | 0.9276 | 0.0537 | 3.6289 | 3.8394 | 1.0000 | 5.0000 |
Non-Narrative | 146 | 3.5521 | 1.0196 | 0.0844 | 3.3854 | 3.7189 | 1.0000 | 5.0000 |
Narrative | 152 | 3.9079 | 0.7948 | 0.0645 | 3.7805 | 4.0353 | 1.0000 | 5.0000 |
Total | 298 | 3.7336 | 0.9276 | 0.0537 | 3.6279 | 3.8394 | 1.0000 | 5.0000 |
Total effect of X on Y | Effect | SD | t | p | LLCI | ULCI |
0.1779 | 0.0528 | 3.3667 | 0.0009 | 0.0739 | 0.2819 | |
Direct effect of X on Y | Effect | SD | t | p | LLCI | ULCI |
0.0459 | 0.0448 | 1.0253 | 0.3061 | –0.0422 | 0.1340 | |
Indirect effect of X on Y | Effect | BootSE | BootLLCI | BootULCI | ||
Total | 0.1320 | 0.0368 | 0.0625 | 0.2089 | ||
M1 | 0.0013 | 0.0107 | –0.0196 | 0.0228 | ||
M2 | 0.0498 | 0.0174 | 0.0186 | 0.0868 | ||
M3 | 0.0519 | 0.0233 | 0.0137 | 0.1030 | ||
M4 | 0.0290 | 0.0161 | 0.0046 | 0.0660 |
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Ye, W.; Li, Q.; Yu, S. Persuasive Effects of Message Framing and Narrative Format on Promoting COVID-19 Vaccination: A Study on Chinese College Students. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 9485. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18189485
Ye W, Li Q, Yu S. Persuasive Effects of Message Framing and Narrative Format on Promoting COVID-19 Vaccination: A Study on Chinese College Students. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021; 18(18):9485. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18189485
Chicago/Turabian StyleYe, WeiMing, Qian Li, and Shubin Yu. 2021. "Persuasive Effects of Message Framing and Narrative Format on Promoting COVID-19 Vaccination: A Study on Chinese College Students" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 18: 9485. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18189485