April 7-9, 2022 • Hyatt Regency • Lexington, KY
Communication Strategies to Promote Comprehensive Well-being
Communication Strategies to Promote Comprehensive Well-being
Abstract: Effects of Direct-To-Consumer Genetic Testing Narratives on Attitudes and Behavioral Intentions
Background The number of people receiving direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing is rapidly increasing. Recent data suggest that more than 26 million people have undergone testing by a consumer genetics company (Regalado, 2019). Narratives in the form of testimonials about genetic testing are often used by the media and marketers to reach broad audiences; thus, we set out to understand how personal narratives about DTC genetic testing products could impact consumer attitudes and interest in testing. Within a given a narrative, the frames used to communicate information about genetic testing could lead to greater narrative engagement and ultimately make certain features of a message more persuasive. Drawing on prospect theory (Tversky & Kahneman, 1981) and Construal Level Theory (CLT: Dhar & Kim, 2007; Trope & Liberman, 2010) we assess the relative effectiveness of (1) gain versus loss-framed genetic testing narratives that incorporate (2) proximal (near-term) versus distal (long-term) temporal messages regarding the implications of DTC genetic testing on attitudes, information seeking, and DTC genetic testing intentions. Lastly, we also examine whether narrative engagement (i.e., identification and transportation) moderates the effect of message exposure on attitudes toward genetic testing. Methods A 2 (gain versus loss frame) x 2 (proximal versus distal frame) randomized online experiment was conducted with a sample of U.S. adults who had not previously undergone DTC genetic testing. Participants completed a baseline survey, read a text-based vignette that told the hypothetical personal story of an individual going through the process of DTC genetic testing from beginning to end, then completed a follow-up survey immediately after exposure to the narrative. Results Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) showed a significant condition by identification interaction on attitudes F(df) = 3.18 (3), p < .05, such that participants exposed to the loss-framed/proximal narrative (M = 7.48, SD = 2.23) had significantly more positive attitudes towards DTC genetic testing than those exposed to a gain-framed/proximal narrative (M = 5.88, SD = 2.53, p < .05) at low levels of identification. In turn, those with more positive attitudes towards DTC genetic testing had greater intentions to seek information (B (SE B) = .16 (.04), p < .05) and to obtain DTC genetic testing (B (SE B) = .09 (.04), p < .05), although no condition differences were detected for either outcome (p > .05). Implications Findings support CLT, which suggests that more psychologically distant ideas are more difficult to conceptualize (Dhar & Kim, 2007; Trope & Liberman, 2010). It also appears that it may have been easier for participants to perceive benefits from DTC genetic testing when identification with characters (in this case, identification with characters with a family disease history) was low. Our study provides new insights into the degree DTC genetic testing narratives and message frames influence individuals’ attitudes and willingness to adopt these technologies.