Framing Persuasive Appeals

Episodic and Thematic Framing, Emotional Response, and Policy Opinion

Bibliographic Data

ID7352111
AuthorsKimberly Gro (0000-0002-6393-6186, George Washington University, corresponding author), Kimberly Gross
Year2008
Volume29
Issue2
Pages169-192
Publication date2008-02-29
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePolitical Psychology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0162-895X • E-ISSN: 1467-9221
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/j.1467-9221.2008.00622.x
OpenAlexW2095094125
LanguageEN
Citations received227
References cited31

Those seeking to frame political issues to their advantage recognize the power of emotional appeals. Yet the study of framing has focused mainly on the cognitive effects of framing rather than on its emotional effects. This study presents the results of two experiments designed to explore the effect of episodic and thematic framing on emotional response and policy opinion. Participants were randomly assigned to read a column arguing against mandatory minimum sentencing that employed either a thematic or one of two episodic frames featuring a woman who received a harsh sentence under the policy. Episodic framing was more emotionally engaging. Furthermore, the specific emotions elicited by the episodic frame—sympathy and pity for the woman featured in the column—were associated with increased opposition to mandatory minimum sentencing. Yet the thematic frame was actually more persuasive once this indirect effect of frame on emotional response was taken into account. The results are consistent with the conclusion that framing effects on policy opinion operate through both affective and cognitive channels. The theoretical and practical implications of the study are discussed

Cognition · Framing (construction · Framing effect · Persuasion · Political science · Politics · Sympathy · Electoral Systems and Political Participation · Emotions and Moral Behavior · Law · Psychology · Social and Intergroup Psychology · Social Psychology

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