14 May Framing Theory Discussion Prompt Please note: If you are attending class on Thursday, we will do this IN CLASS. No need to do it ahead of time. If you are NOT attending
Framing Theory Discussion Prompt
Please note: If you are attending class on Thursday, we will do this IN CLASS. No need to do it ahead of time. If you are NOT attending class on Thursday, you may complete this on your own on Canvas before the deadline.
This week we learned about framing theory. Our news media tends to frame the same issues in very different ways. In this activity you will examine the different frames used by two different news organizations to discuss a similar topic.
Standard expectations: As with every assignment in this class, be sure to respond to the following questions in your own words and succinctly (in as few words as possible).
Resources for this activity:
- Go to: https://www.allsides.com/unbiased-balanced-newsLinks to an external site.
- All sides Media Bias Chart: https://www.allsides.com/media-bias/media-bias-chartLinks to an external site.
Assignment:
- Think about the issue discussed in the headline you chose. What information do you currently have about this issue? (1-2 sentences: 1 point)
- What media sources does your information come from about this topic? Identify your media sources on the all-sides media bias chart above. Are they leaning left, center, right, or unknown? (1-2 sentences: 1 point).
- Using the information provided in the frame usage section of the book (pg. 144-145), discuss whether salience, availability, accessibility, or applicability are influencing your opinion about this issue. How? (2-4 sentences: 1 point).
- Read an article on the left discussing this issue. Is it discussing it in a favorable or unfavorable manner? Why do you think so? Provide specific examples in the article that support your view. (2-4 sentences: 1 point).
- Read an article on the right discussing this issue. Is it discussing it in a favorable or unfavorable manner? Why do you think so? Provide specific examples in the article that support your view. (2-4 sentences: 1 point).
COMM 102 S2021
5/5/2021
(c) M. Saleem
2
Episodic and thematic frames
EPISODIC' FRAMES
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Framing
Poverty
{Iyengar, 1990)
news
· Randomly assigned
to thematic or
episodic TV
stories
· 3 Thematic
►Increased unemployment in manufacturing sector
►Increases in number of people meeting poverty line
· Food emergencies across the nation
· Episodic
Unemp
oy
COMM 102 S2021
5/5/2021
(c) M. Saleem
5
►
l
ed person discussed their economic
difficulty
· Manipulated race (Black/White) of person
Framing
Poverty
(Iyengar, 1990)
· Post-exposure perceptions
· Cause: "In your opinion. what are the most important causes of poverty?"
· Individual vs social factors
· Solutio to
ways
n: "If you were asked to prescribe
reduce poverty, what would you suggest?"
Results
(Iyengar, 1990)
· Individual vs social attribution
· Thematic condition = social attributions
· Episodic condition = individual attributions
COMM 102 S2021
5/5/2021
(c) M. Saleem
6
· Does race
further make matters
►
individuals judged
Black
impoverished
worse?
for being
Associating race with topics
· Race-coded issues
· Certain political issuesare seemingly neutral (they affect everyone) but they are heavily associated wrfh certain racial groups (Gilens 1996).
· Immigration
· Cri'ne
· Poverty
· Terrorism
· Affirmative Action
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COMM 102 S2021
5/5/2021
(c) M. Saleem
7
News Stories
& Empathy
Experiment – Johnson et al, 2009
· How story of Katrina
victims
news
influence empathy and policy support
· Race of victims
· Type of activity
· looting
· Non-looting
· Control
· Empathy
· Policy Support
News Stori Experiment
es
& Empathy
– Johnson et al,
· Empathy:
victims?
vhat e
2009
· To
· Pol
icy support:
►
extent)
al extent 4 =a moderate extent 7 = a great
m
passage?
for supporting
extent is the government responsible
To what
xtent do you feel empathy for the
the
Katrina victims that youjvst readabout in the s
►
much monthly financial support should the
se some Katrina
$600)
How
victimsreceive from the government? (l= $0 7 =
(1 =a very
.
.
Effects
of media distortions
[Gibson & Zillmann. 1994)
· Carjacking story manipulation (4×2)
· Exemplars vary degree of extremity
· No injury, minimal, substantial, death
· Response
· Immediately or 1 week later
COMM 102 S2021
5/5/2021
(c) M. Saleem
10
No harm: "Adams was lucky. The incident terrified her. But she walked away without so much asa scratch." |
Minimal harm: "Adams was lucky. The incident terrified her, but she walked away with only minor cuts and bruises from falling onto the pavement." |
Substantial harm: "Adams was fortunate, considering what could have happened. She was terrified, and she suffered a broken arm from being shoved out of the moving car and hitting the sharp edge of the gaspump." |
Death: "Unfortunately Adams did not make it completely out of the car. Her arm got caught in the seat belt as Block drove away, and shewas dragged, screaming for help, for several feet – |
Effects
of media distortions
[Gibson & Zillmann. 1994)
· Outcome
opinion, how serious a
· In
your
problem is ca acking?
►
think carjacking will become
Do you
threat on campus?
l
a real
nationa
►
How
likely do you t
become
hink it is that you might
a victim of carjacking?
(Gibson 1994)
Effects of
& Zillmann,
media distortion
of severity
· I
plar
eased perception
exem
ncr
death
of problem for
over
· Incr
time (1 week later.
)
REASED
exemplars and this effect INC
death
tantial and
tality estimates for subs
eased fa
· time!
tic over
likely to rely on vividness heuris
More
Effects
of media distortion
(Gibson & Zillmann, 1994)
· Death exemplar condition rated as more upsetting than others
· Death exemplar and no harm exemplar rated asequally informative
·
in perceptions of
No differences
newsworthiness, importance, or accuracy
Need for representative exemplars
(Gibson & Zillmann, 1994)
►
ists have long been instructed to
urnal
"Jo
ramatic case histories to
make
a story
more interesting,
but it is apparent
that
thi
s
practice
gather d
serves to create
on the part of the news recipient"
COMM 102 S2021
5/5/2021
(c) M. Saleem
12
►
News tends
to be displayed in
Problems,
issues, grievances,
· Two
opposing sides
(p. 623)
·
frame
ts
conflic
a conflict
Framing Theory
· Framesin communication
· Framesin thoughts
·
frames
How
thought
in communication affect frames in
· Saltence availability accessibility applicability
· Episodic & thematic framing
· Race-coded issues
· Creating associations in your mind
· Sensational frames