Framing Theory

Overview

Framing theory examines how the presentation of information — through selection, emphasis, and exclusion — shapes how audiences interpret and respond to issues. The same facts, framed differently, lead to systematically different judgments and decisions.

When to Use

Trigger conditions:

• Analyzing how media or organizations present issues to shape interpretation
• Comparing competing frames on the same issue
• Designing strategic communication with specific interpretive goals

When NOT to use:

• When studying which issues get attention (use agenda-setting instead)
• When analyzing long-term cumulative media effects (use cultivation theory)
• When studying individual cognitive processing (use dual-process theory)

Assumptions