TY - JOUR
T1 - Appealing to Motivation to Change Attitudes, Intentions, and Behavior
T2 - A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of 702 Experimental Tests of the Effects of Motivational Message Matching on Persuasion
AU - Joyal-Desmarais, Keven
AU - Scharmer, Alexandra K.
AU - Madzelan, Molly K.
AU - See, Jolene V.
AU - Rothman, Alexander J.
AU - Snyder, Mark
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 American Psychological Association
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - Message matching refers to the design and distribution of persuasive messages such that message features (e.g., the themes emphasized) align with characteristics of the target audience (e.g., their personalities). Motivational message matching is a form of this technique that seeks to enhance persuasion by matching specifically to differences in motivational characteristics (e.g., salient goals, needs, values). Despite the widespread use of motivational matching, there is little understanding of how and when to use it. We conducted a preregistered (PROSPERO CRD42019116688; https://osf.io/rpjdg) systematic review and three-level meta-analysis of 702 experimental studies on motivational matching (synthesizing 5,251 effect sizes from N = 206,482). Studies were inclusive of publications until December 2018 and primarily identified using APA PsycINFO, MEDLINE, and Scopus. We evaluate moderation using metaregressions and provide bias assessments (sensitivity analyses, funnel plots). Motivational matching increases persuasion by an average of r =.20 (95% CI [.18,.22]) as assessed by differences in attitudes, intentions, self-reported behavior, and observed behavior, relative to comparison conditions. This effect is larger than previously observed for other message matching approaches (e.g., message tailoring, message framing), which usually average r <.10. Although motivational matching can effectively improve persuasion, its effects are also marked by meaningful heterogeneity. Notably, motivational matching effects are largest when matching to contextual factors (than to individual differences), when compared to messages that conflict with people’s motivations, and when target characteristics are manipulated rather than assessed.
AB - Message matching refers to the design and distribution of persuasive messages such that message features (e.g., the themes emphasized) align with characteristics of the target audience (e.g., their personalities). Motivational message matching is a form of this technique that seeks to enhance persuasion by matching specifically to differences in motivational characteristics (e.g., salient goals, needs, values). Despite the widespread use of motivational matching, there is little understanding of how and when to use it. We conducted a preregistered (PROSPERO CRD42019116688; https://osf.io/rpjdg) systematic review and three-level meta-analysis of 702 experimental studies on motivational matching (synthesizing 5,251 effect sizes from N = 206,482). Studies were inclusive of publications until December 2018 and primarily identified using APA PsycINFO, MEDLINE, and Scopus. We evaluate moderation using metaregressions and provide bias assessments (sensitivity analyses, funnel plots). Motivational matching increases persuasion by an average of r =.20 (95% CI [.18,.22]) as assessed by differences in attitudes, intentions, self-reported behavior, and observed behavior, relative to comparison conditions. This effect is larger than previously observed for other message matching approaches (e.g., message tailoring, message framing), which usually average r <.10. Although motivational matching can effectively improve persuasion, its effects are also marked by meaningful heterogeneity. Notably, motivational matching effects are largest when matching to contextual factors (than to individual differences), when compared to messages that conflict with people’s motivations, and when target characteristics are manipulated rather than assessed.
KW - Attitudes and persuasion
KW - Functional matching
KW - Message framing
KW - Message matching
KW - Message tailoring
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U2 - 10.1037/bul0000377
DO - 10.1037/bul0000377
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85147712188
SN - 0033-2909
VL - 148
SP - 465
EP - 517
JO - Psychological Bulletin
JF - Psychological Bulletin
IS - 7-8
ER -