Frames, Framers & Framing

erin o’brien 2013 University of Massachusetts Boston Academic Support Programs

Storytelling and construction of knowledge

The Basics. Framing theory and the concept of framing bias suggests that how something is presented (the “frame”) influences the choices people make. This idea is important because it is contrary to the central concept of of rational choice theory.  According to this theory, people always strive to make the most rational choices possible

http://www.csun.edu/~rk33883/Framing%20Theory%20Lecture%20Ubertopic.htm

BusinessPsychologyEducationPoliticsAdvertisinghttp://www.csun.edu/~rk33883/Framing

%20Theory%20Lecture%20Ubertopic.htm

Framing is relevant in many areas of life and scholarship

Every frame is realized in the brain by neural circuitry. Every time a neural circuit is activated, it is strengthened.

Sometimes fictional stories are fine

But sometimes, the truth and accuracy of stories are crucial.

Truth or fiction?

16. Truth 1. Truth is the agreement or conformity of reality and the mind's judgment on reality. It is "the equation of thought and thing". Truth resides formally, or as such, in the mind which rightly judges a thing to be what it really is. Thus, formally, truth is truth of thought. There is also what is called truth of things; this is called ontological truth.

http://www.catholictheology.info/summa-theologica/summa-part1.php?q=34 2/3/2014

Down to basics: defining ‘truth’

A Tour of The Summa Paperbackby Rt. Rev. Msgr. Paul J. Glenn TAN Books (1992)

Original source for “truth”

Truth or fiction…its constructed!

To create and share stories is to be human

Stories:

• convey a culture’s memories

• entertain

• teach

• inspire

• What else?

Most stories are Framed

They do not include every detail or possible detail of a real or imagined event

(information)

The have a particular point to make that is part of the criteria for what is included & excluded from a story

We are all framers!

They are constructed by and for people…like us!

Frames ---- “As”Tom Brady as

successful athletedefeated athletehusband fatherWhat else?

Select/choose from a larger source or pool of reality and representations about:

what stayscentral focus peripheryWhat goes

Framers make decisions

December 17 2003

Click icon to add picture

Osmani Simanca

Simanca is a Cuban-born cartoonist working in Brazil for A Tarde Newspaper. His cartoons are syndicated internationally by Cagle Cartoons.

S. Hussein AS bin Laden

S. Hussein & bin Laden

Apply our frame theory to this cartoonWhat is the artist doing?What is the point the

artist is making by constructing this particular frame?

What’s the ‘story’?Does the cartoon’s

publication date reveal or suggest anything important about public knowledge of the quality of the sales pitch?

“I had a great day at work.” Bumper stickers & T-shirt logos,

slogans etcHigh school yearbook picturesAdsNews reportsPhotosWhat else?

Some types & examples of everyday frames

“I had a great day at work.”

What do I exclude?What do I include?

What kind of info? Factual

Interpretive?

Compared to real life, we can easily see how this film is systematically framed to be a fast-moving fantasy-adventure:

What’s framed in

What’s framed out: sleeping, meals, personal hygiene–

Why these omissionsCompressions: time, journeys

Pirates of Caribbean as frame

Legitimate selections compressions

Its ok to frame

Questionable frames

Portraits: exclude and emphasize

What do the Obama & Clinton portraits emphasize?

What information or facts about Obama and Clinton do they exclude?

Why would these exclusions & compressions not typically be challenged?

Portraits have predictable exclusions and foci

To communicate & express: facts, feelings, ideas– everything!

To form judgmentsTo organize & coordinate with others

To accomplish tasks

We use frames everyday

To interpret and re-interpret info

To make decisions about our actions and utterances

To justify our decisions and judgments

Frames- job description (partial)

They don’t convey every possible fact or detail (framer probably doesn’t know the entire reality)

They choose what to include/exclude

How to include/exclude

Essential ingredients

More than one possible version of same ‘event’Different versions can all have some credibility/accuracyOften no single person or version can account for all that is true and real

Stories and people are complex!

Sales pitch AS9-11 AS

Our essays = FRAMES !

Three of his claims we’re using as anchors:

1) ”… all representations are selective.”(26)

2)“The very process of compression” (26) necessitates distortions. ”

3)… it would be humanly impossible to avoid framing.”(29)

Schudson on Framing

My 2 centsSome claims are better

than othersVirtually no frame is

“perfect” i.e., 100% complete

All lies are framesNot all frames are liesBuilding on and

juxtaposing frames is a valid way to deal with the inherent limitations

“Consequently frames are inherently problematic types of knowledge. As human persons, we need to critically analyze problematic knowledge and continually seek out new information/frames.”(erin, 2012)

Why bother? We make our decisions based on frames

How assess?Based on what criteria? On its own terms? Other frames ?What counts as distortion?When is distortion “too much” or too little”?We presuppose there is other relevant

information including frames that would compensate

Evaluating frames

Frames- can’t live without them!