The Interplay between Framing and Regulatory Focus in Processing Narratives about HPV Vaccination in Singapore

ABSTRACT

This study examined whether regulatory focus changes the effects of gain- and loss-framed narratives on promoting Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination among young females in Singapore. We conducted a quasi-experiment in which participants reported their regulatory focus and then read either a gain- or loss-framed narrative about HPV vaccination. The results showed an overall advantage of a loss frame over a gain frame in producing transportation and self-referent emotions, which in turn led to increased vaccination intentions. This pattern was more pronounced among those high in prevention or promotion focus, with self-referent emotions being the primary mediator transferring the interactive effects onto vaccination intentions. This study contributes to the extant literature on narrative persuasion by addressing the specific mechanisms of the effect of framing employed in narratives.