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This study examined the effects of framing the H1N1 flu outbreak in visual versus textual form on people's risk perceptions (susceptibility and severity) regarding the H1N1 flu outbreak, attributions for the rapid spread of the H1N1 virus, and intentions to seek additional information about the H1N1 flu. A sample of 318 undergraduate students was recruited to take part in this study. Results found that compared to the textual frame or control groups, the visual frame group reported greater feelings of H1N1 flu susceptibility and held stronger immigration-related attributions for the rapid spread of the H1N1 flu virus. Also, the visual framing of the H1N1 flu outbreak seemed to reinforce the negative attitudes among those who already held aversive attitudes toward Mexicans. Implications of the results for designing messages involving outbreaks of communicable diseases (such as the H1N1 virus) are discussed. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]