Cialdini includes in his discussion of scarcity the power of gain frames and loss frames. Explain the difference between these two types of frames psychologically. How could you use this information to create an appeal to help you break a bad habit or start a healthy habit?
Scarcity the power of gain frames and loss frames.
Full Answer Section
Psychologically, gain frames are more effective when people are already motivated to achieve a particular goal. For example, if someone is already motivated to lose weight, they are more likely to be persuaded by an appeal that frames a new weight loss program as a way to "lose weight and feel better."
Loss frames are more effective when people are not already motivated to achieve a particular goal. For example, if someone is not motivated to lose weight, they are more likely to be persuaded by an appeal that frames a new weight loss program as a way to "avoid the health risks of obesity."
How to use this information to create an appeal to help you break a bad habit or start a healthy habit:
If you are trying to break a bad habit, you could use a loss frame to appeal to your fear of the negative consequences of continuing the habit. For example, you could say something like, "If I don't break this habit, I'm going to gain weight and my health is going to suffer."
If you are trying to start a healthy habit, you could use a gain frame to appeal to your desire for the positive benefits of the habit. For example, you could say something like, "If I start exercising regularly, I'm going to lose weight, feel better, and have more energy."
The key is to choose the frame that is most likely to be effective for you. If you are already motivated to change your behavior, a gain frame may be more effective. If you are not already motivated to change your behavior, a loss frame may be more effective.
Here are some other examples of how you could use gain and loss frames to create appeals:
- Gain frame: "Join our gym today and get a free personal training session!"
- Loss frame: "Don't miss out on our limited-time offer! Sign up for our gym membership today and save 50%."
- Gain frame: "Eat our delicious, healthy meals and lose weight without feeling deprived!"
- Loss frame: "Don't let your health suffer! Start eating healthy meals today."
Sample Answer
In his book Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, Robert Cialdini discusses the power of scarcity to influence people's behavior. He argues that people are more likely to be persuaded by appeals that frame a product or opportunity as scarce, as opposed to appeals that frame it as abundant.
Gain frames focus on the positive aspects of an outcome, such as the benefits of a product or service. For example, an appeal that frames a new weight loss program as a way to "lose weight and feel better" is using a gain frame.
Loss frames focus on the negative aspects of an outcome, such as the costs of not taking action. For example, an appeal that frames a new weight loss program as a way to "avoid the health risks of obesity" is using a loss frame.