Message framing effects on sustainable consumer behaviour: a systematic review and future research directions for social marketing
ISSN: 2042-6763
Article publication date: 25 July 2022
Issue publication date: 12 October 2022
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this research is to provide a systematic review of the literature relating to message framing and its effectiveness in persuading consumers to adopt environmentally sustainable behaviour, which is a form of pro-social behaviour. Specifically, this paper focuses on three types of message framing: positive–negative, self–other and abstract–concrete.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper reports on a systematic review guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses framework identifying 108 articles published relating to message framing and environmental sustainability between 2005 and 2020. Descriptive analysis of the data was undertaken in combination with a thematic approach.
Findings
The results demonstrate that single frames do not reliably increase sustainable consumer behaviour. Instead, the use of two message frames is more consistently effective. However, there is some disparity in relation to the combined effects of two message frames. The research also identifies that the use of three combined message frames is underexplored in the existing literature.
Research limitations/implications
Social marketing and consumer psychology researchers have explored many types of message framing. This study focuses on three common types. Also, the review is limited to valence framing. The authors recognise that visual aspects of message frames also determine the effectiveness of messaging. Another limitation is that only empirical studies published between 2005 and 2020 were reviewed.
Originality/value
Past review papers related to the impact of messaging on sustainable consumer behaviour either focus on one type of message framing, such as the positive–negative frame, or did not categorise message framing into different types. The current review focuses on three types of message framing that have been examined separately and in combination in the literature. Based on the findings, this study proposes a synthesised theoretical framework for future research.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This research was funded by an Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship.
Citation
Florence, E.S., Fleischman, D., Mulcahy, R. and Wynder, M. (2022), "Message framing effects on sustainable consumer behaviour: a systematic review and future research directions for social marketing", Journal of Social Marketing, Vol. 12 No. 4, pp. 623-652. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSOCM-09-2021-0221
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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