The Effects of Goal Framing on Supports for the Public Policy Aimed at Seismic Retrofitting of Water Supply Facilities

Abstract

This study examined the effects of goal framing of messages on public support for a policy aimed at seismic retrofitting of water supply facilities. An experiment was conducted manipulating two independent variables in message frames: the valence of consequences (i.e., emphasizing negatively valenced consequences when not engaging in seismic retrofit or emphasizing positively valenced consequences when engaging in seismic retrofit) and the focus of outcomes (i.e., focusing on the presence and absence of losses or focusing on the presence and absence of gains). Results from 392 participants from a wide range of age groups showed that messages that emphasized negatively valenced consequences or the presence of losses were more persuasive and made participants more likely to support the policy. Implications of the current findings for goal framing and persuasive communication in the context of disaster risk reduction were discussed.