Gain‐ and Loss‐Based Frames

Psychologists, health communication scholars, and researchers across disciplines have long sought to understand how the framing of a message, in terms of what individuals may gain (or lose) from following (or not following) the message's recommendation, affects an audience's compliance with that message. This entry provides an overview of this body of research, synthesizing key findings from the 1980s onward into a cohesive review that offers theoretical and practical guidance for academic researchers and practitioners across disciplines. It presents evidence about the relative persuasiveness of gain and loss frames, and findings on the moderators and mediators in the framing‐persuasion relationship; discusses traditional and new media applications of gain/loss framing; presents a step‐by‐step process to developing gain and loss frames; and suggests avenues for future research. It should provide a more holistic understanding of gain/loss framing that can be used to inform theory and practice.