The Association for Qualitative Research
The Hub of Qualitative Excellence

Framing

Small changes in how information is presented can dramatically change the resulting decision or behaviour. The same choice can be presented in radically different ways - for example would you choose to undertake a medical procedure with a 10% chance of dying, or one with a 90% chance of success?

Framing has long been a part of the marketer's toolkit. For example, in the 1950s, De Beers re-framed the cost of a diamond ring as "making a month's salary last a lifetime".

Framing is also an important consideration in the design of questionnaires and topic guides - we can accidentally "lead" respondents through the way we frame questions.

 

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