New research says the sequence of sustainable communication matters— negative-to-positive, rather than isolated positive appeals
BUSAN, South Korea, Sept. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The impact of sustainability messages may depend not only on their content but also on the order in which they are presented. The emotional response created by one message may influence how people interpret the message that follows when it comes to green initiatives. In tourism, where visitors are frequently encouraged to make environmentally responsible choices, understanding how these emotional responses unfold could help organizations design more effective sustainability communication.
Environmental communication often presents the problem and the solution as separate messages. This raises the possibility that an initial negative emotion could influence how a subsequent positive message is perceived.
To investigate this process, researchers examined how emotional responses unfold across successive stages of green persuasion. The researchers developed a stage-based emotional processing framework that clarifies the distinct roles of arousal and valence in sustainability message processing. This paper was made available online in Volume 43, Issue 4 of the Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing on June 13, 2026.
The researchers tested their framework across two complementary studies combining neural and behavioral evidence, focusing on arousal and valence as two distinct emotional attributes. In Study 1, a 64-channel electroencephalography experiment demonstrated that prior exposure to tourism-related environmental degradation heightened early attentional allocation and sustained neural engagement with subsequently presented green solutions. In Study 2, the same negative-to-positive message sequence produced a contrast-based positive shift in emotional valence, which in turn increased pro-environmental behavioral intention.
The findings revealed that emotional arousal and valence play distinct roles during the persuasion process. Arousal seemed to facilitate early-stage attention and message processing; however, it did not directly influence participants’ intention to engage in pro-environmental behavior. On the other hand, valence-based evaluation emerged as the primary factor associated with later judgment and behavioral intention.
The findings suggest that tourism organizations that rely on visitor participation to support environmental activities, including airlines, cruise operators, and nature-based destinations, could use emotional sequence in sustainability communication. For instance, the strategy could first draw attention to an environmental concern followed by a credible and achievable solution, such as choosing lower-carbon travel options, supporting marine conservation, or contributing to tourist destination protection.
A carefully designed progression from environmental concern to a positive and feasible solution can help translate heightened attention into constructive engagement. However, environmental information should be authentic and proportionate, avoiding frightening or overwhelming visitors. Connecting emotionally salient environmental information with a credible and actionable solution could help organizations encourage greater participation in pro-environmental initiatives.
Over the next few years, this strategy could influence how sustainability messages are delivered across digital booking platforms, destination applications, smart signage, and immersive tourism experiences. Rather than relying on a single environmental appeal, organizations could coordinate messages across different stages of the visitor journey.
This study demonstrates that effective persuasion depends not simply on eliciting emotional arousal but on guiding early attention toward a positive evaluation of credible solutions. This principle may also inform climate, conservation, public health, and other social-impact communication beyond tourism.
Reference
Title of original paper: Dual emotional mechanisms in green persuasion: neural and behavioral evidence from tourism contexts
Journal: Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing
DOI: 10.1080/10548408.2026.2626040
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