The framing effect is a cognitive bias where people's decisions and opinions are influenced by the way information is presented, rather than by the information itself. In other words, people can perceive the same information differently depending on how it is "framed" or described.

Here are two simple examples to help you understand the framing effect:

1. Medical treatment options: Imagine your doctor presents you with two treatment options for a disease. They tell you that Option A has a 90% survival rate, while Option B has a 10% mortality rate. Although both options have the same statistical outcome, you might be more likely to choose Option A because it is framed in a positive way (survival), while Option B is framed negatively (mortality).

2. Food choices: Suppose you're at a grocery store comparing two types of ground beef. One package is labeled as "85% lean," while the other is labeled as "15% fat." Even though both packages contain the same proportions of lean meat and fat, you might perceive the "85% lean" option as healthier because it is framed in a more positive way.

The framing effect occurs because people tend to focus on the positive or negative aspects of information, depending on how it is presented. Being aware of the framing effect can help individuals recognize when their decisions might be influenced by the way information is framed, rather than by the information itself, and make more objective choices.

The framing effect is a cognitive bias that was first identified by psychologists Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky in their seminal 1981 paper, "The Framing of Decisions and the Psychology of Choice." The framing effect refers to the influence of presentation or context on decision-making and judgment, whereby individuals may interpret and respond to identical information differently based on how it is framed, either positively or negatively.

The framing effect has been extensively studied in various scientific fields, including cognitive psychology, behavioral economics, and decision-making research. It is closely related to several other psychological principles and cognitive biases, such as:

1. Loss aversion: The tendency for people to prefer avoiding losses over acquiring equivalent gains. Loss aversion is a key factor contributing to the framing effect, as individuals may be more sensitive to potential losses than gains when making decisions, depending on how the options are framed.

2. Prospect theory: A descriptive model of decision-making under risk, developed by Kahneman and Tversky, that incorporates loss aversion, framing, and other cognitive biases. The framing effect is a central component of prospect theory, illustrating how decision-makers evaluate potential outcomes based on their framing as gains or losses relative to a reference point.

3. Attribute framing: A subtype of the framing effect, where the positive or negative framing of a single attribute influences individuals' perceptions and decisions. For example, describing a food product as "90% fat-free" versus "10% fat" can lead to different evaluations, even though the information is mathematically equivalent.

The framing effect has broad implications for understanding human decision-making and information processing, as well as practical applications in fields such as marketing, public policy, and health communication. To counteract the framing effect, individuals can make a conscious effort to consider information objectively, regardless of its presentation, and try to reframe problems or options in multiple ways to gain a more balanced perspective.

References

• Kahneman, D., & Tversky, A. (1981). The framing of decisions and the psychology of choice. Science, 211(4481), 453-458.
• Tversky, A., & Kahneman, D. (1986). Rational choice and the framing of decisions. Journal of Business, 59(4), S251-S278.