One study supporting this effect is Tversky & Kahneman (1986). This study aimed to test the influence of positive and negative frames on decision-making.

The procedure is as follows. The researchers used a self-selected (volunteer) sample of 307 US undergraduate students. Participants were asked to make a decision between one of two options in a hypothetical scenario where they were choosing how to respond to the outbreak of a virulent disease. For some of the participants, the information was framed positively while for others it was framed negatively. T he scenario reads as follows: Imagine that the U.S. is preparing for the outbreak of an unusual Asian disease, which is expected to kill 600 people. Two alternative programs to combat the disease have been proposed. Assume that the exact scientific estimate of the consequences of the programs is as follows. In condition 1, the participants were given the "positive frame."

Their choices were the following: If Program A is adopted, 200 people will be saved. If Program B is adopted, there is a 1/3 probability that 600 people will be saved and a 2/3 probability that no people will be saved.

In condition 2, the participants were given the "negative frame."  Their choices were the following: If Program C is adopted 400 people will die. If Program D is adopted there is a 1/3 probability that nobody will die, and a 2/3 probability that 600 people will die.

The results are as follows. In the first condition, 72% of the participants chose Program A, whereas only 28% chose Program B. In the second condition, 22% of the participants chose Program C and 78% chose Program D. It is important to note that all four options, (A, B, C, and D) are effectively the same; 200 people will survive and 400 people will not.

In conclusion, The results clearly demonstrate the influence of the frame. Where information was phrased positively, (the number of people who would be saved) people took the certain outcome, (option A) and avoided the possibility of a loss in the less certain option (option B).  By contrast, when the information was phrased in terms of people dying (a negative frame) people avoided the certain loss (option C) and took a chance on the less certain option D. Thus supports the framing effect.