Framing Bias

What is it: it’s our susceptibility to being swayed into making different decisions by being given the same information in different ways…

I chose the right cake; even though the 90% fat free product was more expensive, it was better than the 10% fat version…”

Overview

The framing bias is everywhere we look. It’s a fundamental element of human communication. We constantly look to use language in a way that will sway the opinions and behaviours of others to our advantage.

Although often the language is enough, there are a number of experiments that also show us that it’s how we speak that is just as important as what we say. Inflection, tone, emphasis on certain elements of a sentence and accent can also reframe communication. Ever wondered why businesses research which regional accents are perceived to be the most trustworthy and base their call centres there?

Visual communication is also susceptible to framing. The typefaces, colours, sizes and location of visual communication can also deliver the same words in entirely different ways. The whole advertising industry is based on framing; giving us the information businesses want us to focus on.

Remember, it’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.

There was an experiment conducted in the ’80s by Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tverksy where the tried to show the power of framing;

The lives of 600 people are at stake. Option saves 200 lives. Option B offers a 33% chance that all 600 people will survive but a 66% chance that nobody will survive.¹

What do you think was the clear winner? Yes, Option A was seen as favourable (chosen by 72%), even though they’re both the same outcome.

What can we do to avoid this?

Like many cognitive biases, as soon as we’re aware of them, we’re less likely to fall foul of them. If you’re given information, it’s often advantageous to ask yourself “What is the intention of the person responsible for this?”. That may tell you how to react.

It’s also worth trying to turn any figures around and ask yourself

Examples

• Hygiene products are always sold with a ‘Kills 99% of all germs’ as it’s far better received that saying ‘Our product kills all but the most resistant 1% of germs’.
• Prices are often reframed, according to the ‘Law of 100’; quite simply, anything less than  £100 is more appealing quoted as a percentage. So 10 percent off a £10 good is more appealing than £1 off.
• One of the classic ‘frames’ is the scarcity effect. When we’re told ‘Don’t miss out’ or ‘Your last chance to save’, we instinctively react as opposed to being told we have something to gain from buying a product; fear of losing out is more powerful than the desire to acquire something.
• Offering the chance to avoid something negative is a better framing solution that offering the chance to gain something positive. So, offering the chance to avoid a financial penalty for being late is better received than offering a discount for being early.