Investigating the Framing Effect in Social and Behavioral Science Research: Potential Influences on Behavior, Cognition and Emotion.
The framing effect has far-reaching implications for our understanding of social psychology and intergroup behavior. In recent decades, the effect garnered considerable attention in the fields of psychology, political science, and communication studies. Whether the effect is demonstrated by repetitious news stories or in voting behavior, framing matters.
It matters for both theoretical and pragmatic reasons. We will make connections between framing and politics as a way of illustrating the real world applicability of this effect. The practical relevance
of the framing effect is why effectively researching it is so crucial. The purpose of this paper is
to propose ways of improving framing research practices. To begin, we will define the framing
effect and provide some germane examples in order to clarify the concept.
In the context of social and behavioral science research, a frame is “a central organizing idea or storyline that provides meaning to an unfolding strip of events weaving a connection among them. The frame suggests what the controversy is about, the essence of the issue”. Simply put, framing creates a storyline by telling us what an issue is fundamentally about. In order to apply our definition of framing in a relevant way, let us briefly examine its role in the 2016 United States presidential race.
For instance, the right-wing conservative Republican Party tends to focus on specific instances in which Hillary Clinton, a Democratic candidate for the presidency “lied.” The leftwing Democratic Party emphasizes episodes in which Donald Trump says something “moronic” or comes off as “temperamentally unfit” to be president. Social media, talk radio, and the 24-hour news cycle amplify these narratives.
Soc Behav Res Pract Open J. 2016; 1(1): 34-37. doi:10.17140/SBRPOJ-1-106