Use of message framing and color in vaccine information to increase willingness to be vaccinated

Some young Taiwanese people who did not receive the H1N1 vaccine were infected with the influenza. In this study prospect theory was combined with color psychology in order to explore if 2 factors, framing of the message (gain vs. loss) and color combination (white text on a red background vs. white text on a blue background), influenced the persuasiveness of televised vaccination information and viewers’ willingness to be vaccinated. Participants were 120 university students, aged between 19 and 24, who were randomly divided into 4 groups to view televised vaccination information that was presented using different combinations of the factors. Participants then completed questionnaires and a significant interaction was found between message framing and color combination, which affected information persuasiveness and the respondents’ willingness to be vaccinated. Loss-framed messages with white text on a red background was the most effective at enhancing vaccination information persuasiveness and people’s willingness to be vaccinated.