To Save or Lose? A Cross-National Examination of the Disease Risk Framing Effect and its Cultural Correlates

While the framing effect widely popularized by Tversky and Kahneman (1981) has been replicated numerous times, the robustness of the effect cross-nationally has been limited. Relying on a large dataset spanning 49 countries with ample sample size (N = 102,830), we examine the robustness of the framing effect using a variation of the Asian Disease Scenario across cultures. Results indicate that the framing effect, in which respondents are more likely to take the risk-averse option when framed positively than negatively, replicated in 100% of the countries examined with large effect sizes across countries (MCohen’s h = 0.616). Country-level correlation analyses and multilevel mixed effects logistic modeling also indicated that societal values related to collectivism were associated with taking riskier options in both the positive and negative framing conditions. Collectivism was also significantly related to smaller framing effects. Implications and future directions are discussed.