The Framing Effect: How Can The News Influence Us?
What happens when the information we are subjected to in all the media is true, but it is slightly disguised? Discover how the so-called framing effect affects us.
Almost all of us watch the news regularly, if not every day. And not only that, some read the newspaper, others watch news on their cell phones, on social networks, on TV ads… We are constantly bombarded with information, and this information is what allows us to create our vision of the world. current reality, what is happening in the world today. But how do we know what is true and what is not? Of course there are certain entities and regulations that control “fake news” and misleading information (Although they continue to be part of everyday life on the networks) But, what happens when the information is true but is slightly disguised?
This is what happens with a cognitive bias known as Frame Effect or Framing The thing is that the same information can lead to different conclusions depending on the way in which it is presented. The meaning of facts or objects is not something fixed and objective, but depends on the context. The media, especially advertising and news, take advantage of this bias so that they not only establish the topics of public debate but also define frameworks where they favor a certain interpretation of the facts.
“In the telecracy, the enormous power of the television medium can be used to manipulate the audience and thus alter the personal perception that these individuals may have of society and public and political affairs. This manipulation can be done by omission (silent what is not interesting), with hyper-information (giving much more than necessary, to tire the public), with partisanship (giving only one version, always the same), trivializing, mixing information with opinion, distorting data, programming productions with subliminal messages…”
Aguila Goghlan, J.C.
How does the frame effect work?
And how do they do it? Some of the main ways in which the frame or framing effect are the following:
Additional information included or omitted: Ex: A immigrant assaulted a middle-aged woman A man attacked a middle-aged woman. The added information that the man is an immigrant will focus the reader’s attention on her, subsequently associating “immigrant” with “assault.” Another example is news that is omitted or that contains very little information compared to others that appear in a bombardment.
The positivity or negativity of the statement Which ad will create the most positive impression on the reader?: 70% of infected people survive and are cured 30% of infected people die. Even if the information is the same, we tend to process it differently depending on whether the positive or negative characteristics are highlighted.
The order in which they are presented: In a resume you read for a job: Hardworking, Responsible, Impulsive, Stubborn, Envious, Punctual. Does it make the same impression on you as the second resume?: Envious, Stubborn, Impulsive, Punctual, Responsible, Hardworking. We give more importance to the initial information, therefore if it is positive, the negativity of what comes later is somehow “camouflaged” and a general positive framework is created.
The type of language used: It is certainly more encouraging to talk about “adjustments” in economic aid than “cuts.”
These are just some examples of the frame or framing effect that sometimes changes our beliefs about a topic without us even realizing it. It is true that we cannot free ourselves from this unconscious mechanism, but knowing its particularities can help us identify them. The key is to try to be selective and always contrast the information we receive.
“To investigate the truth it is necessary to doubt, as far as possible, all things”
