Framing is when you show something in a special way so it looks bigger, smaller, or even different.
Imagine you have a cookie, your favorite one. If I put it on a plate with ten other cookies that are all tiny and crumbly, your cookie suddenly looks super big and super tasty. That's framing! You're still looking at the same cookie, but now it stands out more because of how it’s shown.
Like a Picture in a Frame
Think about a picture you draw. If you put it inside a big, shiny frame, it looks important, like it's ready for a museum. But if you just tape it to a piece of paper, it feels simple and casual. Framing changes how people see something, just by putting it in a different place or with different things around it.
Framing Changes the Story
Framing is also like telling a story from a different angle. If you say, "I ate 10 cookies," that sounds greedy. But if you say, "I shared 1 cookie with my friend out of 10," it feels generous. You're still talking about the same number of cookies, but the way you frame the story changes how people feel about it.
Examples
- Choosing between a 10% discount or a 10% tax, the same thing, but framed differently.
- A doctor says you have a 90% chance of surviving surgery vs. a 10% chance of dying, both are true but feel different.
- A restaurant describes a dish as '75% lean meat' vs. '25% fat content', the same food, different appeal.
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See also
- What are cognitive biases?
- How Does Once You See It Work?
- How Does Money Matters More Than We’re Willing to Admit Work?
- How Does Managing Through Crisis: Why Urgency Can Bring Clarity Work?
- How Does The Illusion of Depth - Contrast Work?