The Power of “No”: How Negative Frames Influence Empathy and Prosocial Behavior

• In Event: ICA Plenary Interactive Paper/Poster Session II
  In Interactive Paper Session: Information Systems Interactive Poster Session

Abstract

Studies show that negations imply a violation of expectations, as the use of a negation implies a disruption of the ‘normal’ or base state. As such, the presence of a negation alters the way individuals process otherwise identical information. Based on this line of research, the present paper presents the results of two experiments that explore how using a negative frame (negation) impacts (1) the extent to which people perceive pro-social behavior to be normative, and (2) the ways in which individuals attribute responsibility of unfortunate circumstances, which can lead to greater or smaller levels of empathy. Consistent with our hypotheses, negations influenced the extent to which participants found pro-environmental behavior to be normative (Study 1) and empathized with a rape victim (Study 2). The practical and theoretical implications of these findings and future research directions are discussed.

Authors

• Soo Youn Oh, Stanford University

• Soohee Kim, Stanford University