Just add a verse from the Quran: effects of religious rhetoric in gain- and loss-framed anti-alcohol messages with a Palestinian sample

Abstract

This experiment investigated the effects of message framing (gain vs. loss) and religious rhetoric (religious vs. non-religious) on the expression of anti-alcohol civic intentions with a sample (N = 80) of Palestinian young adults. Results showed that the main effects of message framing (gain [loss) and religious rhetoric (non-religious[religious) on anti-alcohol civic intentions were significant. Furthermore, the study showed that viral behavioral intentions were strongly and significantly associated with expressing anti-alcohol civic intentions, with larger explanatory power for gain-framed PSAs that used a religious rhetoric. Additionally, a serial mediation model showed that the effect of religious rhetoric on anti-alcohol civic intentions was successfully mediated by the serial combination of attitudes toward the PSA and viral behavioral intention for gainframed PSAs, but not for loss-framed PSAs. Findings are discussed within the framework of persuasion models.