Testing the Effects of Message Framing on Physical Activity Motivation in Active and Non-Active Adults

Abstract Objectives This study investigated the effects of messaging on physical activity (PA) motivation, and whether the effectiveness of messages aimed to promote either affective benefits, physical health benefits, or a combination of benefits varied based on one’s current PA status. Methods Adult participants ( N  = 188) completed an online survey assessing demographic information and current stage of change. They then viewed one of four randomly assigned promotional flyers for a campus PA program. The flyers mentioned either the: (a) affective benefits of participation, (b) physical health benefits, (c) a combination of affective and physical health benefits, or (d) a control message. Participants then responded to questions about the flyers, their perceived control for participating, followed by their interest, intention to participate, likelihood of participating, and whether they wanted to sign-up. Results A 2 (activity status) x 2 (affective message) x 2 (physical health message) between-subjects ANOVA found that the effectiveness of the promotional messages on overall cognitive motivation (i.e., a combination of interest, intention, and likelihood of participating) varied based on the respondents’ PA status. Simple effects showed that messages promoting affective benefits led to greater scores for those who are active. A logistic regression showed that PA status, message condition, and their interactions were non-significant predictors of participants’ agreeing to schedule a session in the program. Conclusion Using specific messages to sell PA may help increase motivation. However, the type of message that effectively promotes PA appears to vary depending on the message receiver’s current PA.