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Finding the Right Value: Framing Effects on Domain Experts
Author(s) -
Andrews Amelia C.,
Clawson Rosalee A.,
Gramig Benjamin M.,
Raymond Leigh
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
political psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.419
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1467-9221
pISSN - 0162-895X
DOI - 10.1111/pops.12339
Subject(s) - framing (construction) , framing effect , social psychology , politics , psychology , set (abstract data type) , political science , positive economics , computer science , economics , geography , law , archaeology , persuasion , programming language
By defining the essence of a policy problem, an issue frame shapes how individuals think about a political issue. In this research, we investigate framing effects among domain experts, an understudied yet increasingly important set of individuals in the policymaking process. Because domain experts have extensive and highly structured knowledge on a particular topic, they are likely to actively process issue frames to which they are exposed. Consequently, we hypothesize that frames consistent with experts' values will be particularly influential, whereas frames inconsistent with their values will lead to contrast effects. We test our hypotheses on a unique set of domain experts by examining professional farmers' attitudes toward no‐till agriculture. Using an experimental design, we find evidence that environmental values interact with frames to influence farmers' interest in no‐till, especially when farmers are exposed to a novel frame.