The Effects of Message Framing on Response to Environmental Communications

This research explores how the framing of environmental communication influences attitudes and environmentally responsible behaviors, such as recycling. Communications were framed in terms of the definition of the problem (gains and losses), the target (current and future generations), and recommended activities (“taking less,” as in conservation, or “doing more,” as in recycling). The communication that discussed losses to the current generation gave rise to the most positive responses to the communication and the highest levels of intent to participate in environmentally-responsible behaviors. Activity framing did not exert any influence on attitudes or behavioral intentions.