Effects of Multipart Media Framing on Consumer Attitudes Toward Biotechnology

Abstract

This study explores whether and how people with a negative biotechnology-related perception can change their attitudes when they are exposed to a positive message in two different frames. The two frames differ in terms of the medium, the language used, and the general tone. A frame is thus conceptualized as unified symbolic entities, rather than just words or positioning in terms of valence (positive/negative). An exploratory stage was conducted through in-depth interviews, which resulted in three audience categories. Results of the experimental study indicated that it is, in fact, possible to turn negative attitudes into positive attitudes for people with intuitive perceptions. People with analytical and ideological perceptions change their attitudes only when the frame is scientific.