Long-Term Effect of Message Framing on Perceived Vulnerability and Environmental Responsibility: The Moderating Role of Self-Efficacy

In a context where environmental communication seeks to produce lasting rather than immediate change, it is essential to understand how messages influence attitudes and behaviors over time. The objective of this study was to examine the long-term effects of message framing (positive vs. negative) on perceived vulnerability and environmental responsibility, while incorporating self-efficacy as a moderating factor. To do this, a laboratory experiment was conducted with 146 students, with data collected at two separate times: immediately after exposure to the message, and then three months later to assess the persistence of the effects. The results indicate that, in the long term, negative framing has a more pronounced impact on perceived vulnerability than positive framing. However, no significant difference was observed between the two experimental conditions with regard to environmental responsibility. Furthermore, the analyses show that perceived vulnerability plays a complete mediating role in the relationship between the type of framing and environmental responsibility. Finally, the findings reveal that self-efficacy positively moderates the relationship between perceived vulnerability and environmental responsibility: the more individuals feel capable of taking action, the more perceived vulnerability contributes to strengthening their responsible engagement.