Message framing and acceptance of branchless banking technology

Mobile communication technologies are ubiquitous and span a wide range of applications. The present study assessed the effects of message framing on the public acceptance of branchless banking applications using the unified theory of acceptance and utilization of technology (UTAUT). Adult holders of an active bank account were randomly assigned into three message framing conditions (gain frame, loss frame, and control condition), and completed structured anonymous questionnaires on technology acceptance variables derived from the UTAUT. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that message framing manipulations did not influence directly self-reported scores on technology acceptance variables. However, linear regression analyses showed that message framing differentiated the interrelationships between usage intentions and related UTAUT variables between conditions. Moderated regression analysis further showed that gender interacted with performance expectancy in predicting usage intentions in the control group condition. Message framing manipulations influence the way intentions to use technology relate to technology acceptance beliefs. This effect should be further examined in the context of technology acceptance models in e-commerce applications, and more especially in the branchless banking domain. Efforts to promote branchless banking applications would benefit from assessments of potential users’ technology acceptance beliefs and intentions.