Author Name: Roshika Date: 25-03-2026
News framing—the selection and emphasis of particular aspects of reality to promote specific interpretations, evaluations, and policy prescriptions—represents one of the most extensively studied phenomena in political communication research. This paper provides a comprehensive synthesis of framing effects research spanning Entman’s (1993) canonical definition through contemporary social media framing dynamics, with particular focus on the cognitive mechanisms through which frames shape audience interpretation, belief formation, and political attitudes. Drawing on Dual Process Theory (Kahneman, 2011), Prospect Theory (Tversky & Kahneman, 1981), and Chong and Druckman’s (2007) theoretical integration, the paper distinguishes equivalence framing (logically equivalent messages with differently emphasized aspects) from emphasis framing (different substantive perspectives on the same issue) and examines the distinct cognitive pathways through which each operates. Meta-analytic evidence confirms framing effects are “real but limited”—typically small to moderate in magnitude (d = .15–.35) but practically significant given the scale of political communication. Key moderators including political knowledge, need for cognition, and motivated reasoning are systematically examined. The paper advances a Cognitive Mechanism Model of Framing (CMMF) integrating applicability, accessibility, and availability effects within a unified computational account. Research on competitive framing, temporal dynamics, visual versus textual framing, and social media amplification of framing effects is synthesized. The paper identifies critical literature gaps including the absence of longitudinal framing research, insufficient attention to visual framing in digital news, and limited cross-cultural evidence. Implications for democracy, political communication design, and journalistic responsibility are discussed.
Keywords:framing effects; political communication; dual-process theory; news interpretation; belief formation; cognitive mechanisms; media effects; equivalence framing.
