Construal and Mammography
Some researches have believed that construal can have major implications on how an individual perceives their health status. As cited by a Times article "women ages 20 - 49 should have a physical examination by a health professional every 1 - 2 years." Specifically, in relation to breast cancer, women should do monthly self-examinations. However, after about age 40 women should begin mammograms, an effective low-radiation screening method for breast cancer. Although the age and frequency of which women should begin breast exams are highly debated the general consensus is that those over age 50 should be examined annually. Unfortunately, the number of women partaking in regular screenings is still not as high as it should be. Therefore, in one study of construal conducted by Gallagher and colleagues they looked at the link between message framing and perceptions about breast cancer susceptibility. The research is primarily based on the assumption that, "people's responses to framed messages may not always be a simple reflection of the presumed risky nature of screening behaviors, but rather shaped by their individual beliefs about risk." Therefore, in this particular study they "assessed women's illness-detecting v. health-affirming construal of mammography." They found "that among women who have a family history of breast cancer, their construal of mammography moderates their responses to framed messages. Such that, loss-framed messages are more effective in promoting screening for those with illness-detecting construals, but gain-framed messages are more effective for those with health-affirming construals." There research shows that the perception of susceptibility to the development of breast cancer was not directly associated with a person's construal of the function of mammography.
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