Regulatory focus theory

Creativity

Framing effect

Cognitive psychology

Engineering

Social psychology

Computer science

Psychology

Framing (construction)

Artificial intelligence

Structural engineering

Persuasion

Perspective (graphical)

Negative emotion

Communication Research

Although recent streams of research have suggested that emotions play a key role in generating framing effects, little is known about the affective dimension of gain and loss framing and its potential impact on persuasion. The current study adopted a meta-analytical approach, synthesizing over 30 years of literature ( k = 25, N = 5,772), to investigate this issue. The results indicate that message frame type directs the emotional response elicited in the audience, with gain frames inducing positive emotions ( d = .31, p = .02) and loss frames inducing negative emotions ( d = .22, p = .001). In turn, the experience of positive emotions enhances the influence of gain frames ( b = .18, p = .045), whereas negative emotions augment the effects of loss frames ( b = −.70, p = .01). These findings confirm that emotional responses may offer a pathway through which gain- and loss-framed messages exert persuasive influence. The study integrates the results with the emotions-as-frames perspective and proposes several promising avenues for future research.

Can Emotions Capture the Elusive Gain-Loss Framing Effect? A Meta-Analysis