Abstract
The current research shows that the persuasive impact of messages can be maximized if their framing is matched to where target consumers are in their decision making process at the time they evaluate the message. Results from two experimental studies show that consumers who are in the predecisional phase of decision making are more likely to be persuaded by messages framed using psychologically distant orientation (i.e., focusing on the future or targeting a distant other), whereas consumers who are in the postdecisional phase are more likely to be persuaded by messages using psychologically close orientation (i.e., focusing on the present or targeting a close other). Evidence of the process through which these effects occur is provided by showing that consumers in a pre- versus postdecisional mindset identify their actions in terms of the actions’ high- versus low-level identities, respectively.
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
In both studies, I tested for differences in potential confound variables across experimental conditions and no significant differences emerged (all p’s > 0.10). Confound variable testing results are available from the author.
Measurement items for all constructs measured throughout the paper are available from the author.
Since money allocations added up to $5, I only included the ASN money allocation in the ANOVA, since predicting allocations to one foundation perfectly predicts allocations to the other.
References
Aaker, J. L., & Lee, A. Y. (2001). "I" seek pleasures and "We" avoid pains: the role of self-regulatory goals in information processing and persuasion. Journal of Consumer Research, 28(June), 33–49. doi:10.1086/321946.
Bagozzi, R. P., & Dholakia, U. (1999). Goal setting and goal striving in consumer behavior. Journal of Marketing, 63, 19–32.
Bar-Anan, Y., Liberman, N., & Trope, Y. (2006). The association between psychological distance and construal level: evidence from an implicit association test. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 135(4), 609–622.
Block, L. G., & Keller, P. A. (1995). When to accentuate the negative: the effects of perceived efficacy and message framing on intentions to perform a health-related behavior. Journal of Marketing Research, 32(2), 192–203. doi:10.2307/3152047.
Burton, S., Andrews, C. J., & Netemeyer, R. G. (2000). Nutrition ad claims and disclosures: interaction and mediation effects for consumer evaluations of the brand and the ad. Marketing Letters, 11(3), 235–247.
Freitas, A. L., Gollwitzer, P. M., & Trope, Y. (2004). The influence of abstract and concrete mindsets on anticipating and guiding others’ self-regulatory efforts. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 40(6), 739–752.
Gollwitzer, P. M., & Kinney, R. F. (1989). Effects of deliberative and implemental mind-sets on illusion of control. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 56(4), 531–542. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.56.4.531.
Gollwitzer, P. M. (1990). Action phases and mind-sets. In E. Tory Higgins & R. M. Sorrentino (Eds.), Handbook of motivation and cognition: foundations of social behavior, vol. 2 (pp. 53–92). New York: Guilford.
Gollwitzer, P. M. (2011). Mindset theory of action phases. In P. Van Lange, A. W. Kruglanski, & E. Tory Higgins (Eds.), Handbook of theories of social psychology (pp. 526–547). London: Sage.
Gollwitzer, P. M., Heckhausen, H., & Steller, B. (1990). Deliberative and implemental mind-sets: cognitive tuning toward congruous thoughts and information. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 59(6), 1119–1127. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.59.6.1119.
Kim, K., Zhang, M., & Li, X. (2008). Effects of temporal and social distance on consumer evaluations. Journal of Consumer Research, 35, 706–713.
Kim, H., Rao, A. R., & Lee, A. Y. (2009). It’s time to vote: the effect of matching message orientation and temporal frame on political persuasion. Journal of Consumer Research, 35(April), 877–889.
Labroo, A. A., & Patrick, V. M. (2008). Psychological distancing: why happiness helps you see the big picture. Journal of Consumer Research, 35(February), 800–809.
Lee, A. Y., & Aaker, J. L. (2004). Bringing the frame into focus: the influence of regulatory fit on processing fluency and persuasion. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 86(2), 205–218.
Lee, L., & Ariely, D. (2006). Shopping goals, goal concreteness, and conditional promotions. Journal of Consumer Research, 33(1), 60–70.
Liberman, N., & Trope, Y. (1998). The role of feasibility and desirability considerations in near and distant future decisions: a test of temporal construal theory. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75(1), 5–18. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.75.1.5.
Liviatan, I., Trope, Y., & Liberman, N. (2008). Interpersonal similarity as a social distance dimension: implications for perception of others’ actions. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 44(5), 1256–1269. doi:10.1016/j.jesp.2008.04.007.
Maheswaran, D., & Meyers-Levy, J. (1990). The influence of message framing and issue involvement. Journal of Marketing Research, 27(August), 361–367.
Nenkov, G. Y., & Gollwitzer, P. M. (2012). Pre- versus postdecisional deliberation and goal commitment: the positive effects of defensiveness. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 48(1), 106–121.
Nenkov, G. Y., Inman, J. J., & Hulland, J. (2008). Considering the future: the conceptualization and measurement of elaboration on potential outcomes. Journal of Consumer Research, 35(1), 126–141.
Preacher, K. J., & Hayes, A. F. (2004). SPSS and SAS procedures for estimating indirect effects in simple mediation models. Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, & Computers, 36, 717–731.
Trope, Y., & Liberman, N. (2003). Temporal construal. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 110(3), 403–421. doi:10.1037/0033-295X.110.3.403.
Trope, Y., Liberman, N., & Wakslak, C. (2007). Construal levels and psychological distance: effects on representation, prediction, evaluation, and behavior. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 17(2), 83–95. doi:10.1016/S1057-7408(07)70013-X.
Tversky, A., & Kahneman, D. (1986). Rational choice and the framing of decisions. Journal of Business, 59, 251–278.
Vallacher, R. R., & Wegner, D. M. (1987). What do people think they’re doing? Action identification and human behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 94(1), 3–15. doi:10.1037/0033-295X.94.1.3.
Vallacher, R. R., & Wegner, D. M. (1989). Levels of personal agency: individual variation in action identification. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57(4), 660–671.
Zhao, X., Lynch, J. G., & Chen, Q. (2010). Reconsidering Baron and Kenny: myths and truths about mediation analysis. Journal of Consumer Research, 37(August), 197–206.
Acknowledgment
I gratefully acknowledge the financial support from a Kelly Faculty Research Award provided by Boston College. I would like to thank Jeff Inman, Kay Lemon, and Adam Brasel for helpful comments and suggestions.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Nenkov, G.Y. It’s all in the mindset: Effects of varying psychological distance in persuasive messages. Mark Lett 23, 615–628 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11002-012-9166-5
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11002-012-9166-5