Problems in Research Practices and Reporting, Clarifying, Understanding, and Potentially Resolving Mixed Findings and Uncertainties in Health Message Framing Literature: Agenda and Solutions for Moving Forward

Framing in terms of gains, losses, nonlosses, or nongains, following compliance or noncompliance, can sometimes be effective in motivating healthy attitudes, intentions, and behaviors, but there have been unresolved mixed findings and uncertainties in the health message framing literature. First, operational definitions and contents of gain-framing and loss-framing, as well as often overlooked nonloss framing and nongain framing, have been unclear and sometimes confusing, with contradictory findings comparing these conditions. Moreover, there have been mixed and null findings in risk and message framing, a few null findings in the relatively robust regulatory fit literature, and concerns regarding generalizability of findings especially regarding age and culture. I discuss these issues, report an Open-Meta-Science assessment on the health message framing literature, and propose possible solutions to each of these problems. Most Open Science practices are rarely implemented in this literature. To move forward, Openness, Transparency, Reproducibility, Rigor, and Clarity, rigorous Replications-Extensions, Meta-Analyses and Systematic Reviews with advanced and more reproducible methods, Adversarial Collaborations, Big Team Science, and other Open/Meta-Science practices may help resolve some of controversies and uncertainties and may facilitate theoretical evaluations and advancements.