? Heuristic of the Day: Framing Effect

Framing Effect comes from the presentation and contextual details of any information. These “frames” (contexts and presentation) influence the interpretation, so any decision made based on information creates a framing effect. Removing the context or additional effort to counter it can sometimes change perception.

Frames draw attention to a specific perspective and trigger thought patterns by highlighting specific information. Being optimistic or pessimistic about a 50% filled glass is an example of framing. Both perspectives are unique ways to evaluate the same information.

Almost everything has a frame. And sometimes, the frames are deliberately inserted in advertisements. These natural or artificial contexts have a strong influence on our decisions and evaluations, so hacking the Framing Effect can help you re-evaluate your decisions. The first step is to identify possible frames.

It isn’t necessary to fully negate frames because frames are by themselves valuable - human communication rests on contexts. The goal is to use the frames to improve conversations or fight the frames to re-think your decisions and prevent wasted effort/money.

Try 3 simple steps to hack the Framing Effect:

1. Translate the information in your own words and say it out loud - summarizing information might nullify the frames.
2. Try to think critically about an advertisement before falling in love with it.
3. Re-read something by ignoring adjectives and contexts to see if an advertisement or claim is appealing - words like ultimate, bright, or soothing color palette, images, etc., influence our opinions, so try to understand the crux of a claim without those.

Read more about Framing Effect at the Heuristics Science Insitute.

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