The effects of photographic and textual framing on public support and risk perception of controversial and non-controversial sciences

Studies on framing have shown that how the media frame an issue can significantly impact public perception and acceptance of science and emerging technologies. However, many of these studies have examined textual framing without considering the role of photographs in the framing process. This study...

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Main Author: Lee, Edmund Wei Jian
Other Authors: Shirley Ho Soo Yee
Format: Theses and Dissertations
Language:English
Published: 2014
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10356/61657
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Institution: Nanyang Technological University
Language: English
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spelling sg-ntu-dr.10356-616572019-12-10T13:16:52Z The effects of photographic and textual framing on public support and risk perception of controversial and non-controversial sciences Lee, Edmund Wei Jian Shirley Ho Soo Yee Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information DRNTU::Social sciences DRNTU::Social sciences::Communication::Visual communication DRNTU::Social sciences::Communication::Public opinion Studies on framing have shown that how the media frame an issue can significantly impact public perception and acceptance of science and emerging technologies. However, many of these studies have examined textual framing without considering the role of photographs in the framing process. This study seeks to fill the research gap by laying a conceptual framework for photographic framing and test the impact of either framing types on public support and risk perception of a controversial (nuclear energy) and a non-controversial science topic (nanotechnology) in Singapore. Using a 2 X 2 X 2 between-subject factorial experimental design, the study showed that exposure to controversial science resulted in a lower level of support and higher risk perception as compared to exposure to non-controversial science. The results also showed that participants paid a statistically higher level of attention to photographic frames than they did to textual frames. Participants in the risk frame condition registered lower level of public support for sciences and higher level of risk perception compared to those exposed to the benefit frame. A significant two-way interaction between photographic-textual frames and risk-benefit frames on public support for sciences was found, with gaps in public support amplified among participants in the photographic-risk and textual-risk frame. The results also showed significant three-way interaction between science topics, photographic-textual, and risk-benefit frames on public support and risk perception. Implications for theory and practice were discussed. ​Master of Communication Studies 2014-07-14T01:26:57Z 2014-07-14T01:26:57Z 2014 2014 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10356/61657 en Nanyang Technological University 117 p. application/pdf
institution Nanyang Technological University
building NTU Library
country Singapore
collection DR-NTU
language English
topic DRNTU::Social sciences
DRNTU::Social sciences::Communication::Visual communication
DRNTU::Social sciences::Communication::Public opinion
spellingShingle DRNTU::Social sciences
DRNTU::Social sciences::Communication::Visual communication
DRNTU::Social sciences::Communication::Public opinion
Lee, Edmund Wei Jian
The effects of photographic and textual framing on public support and risk perception of controversial and non-controversial sciences
description Studies on framing have shown that how the media frame an issue can significantly impact public perception and acceptance of science and emerging technologies. However, many of these studies have examined textual framing without considering the role of photographs in the framing process. This study seeks to fill the research gap by laying a conceptual framework for photographic framing and test the impact of either framing types on public support and risk perception of a controversial (nuclear energy) and a non-controversial science topic (nanotechnology) in Singapore. Using a 2 X 2 X 2 between-subject factorial experimental design, the study showed that exposure to controversial science resulted in a lower level of support and higher risk perception as compared to exposure to non-controversial science. The results also showed that participants paid a statistically higher level of attention to photographic frames than they did to textual frames. Participants in the risk frame condition registered lower level of public support for sciences and higher level of risk perception compared to those exposed to the benefit frame. A significant two-way interaction between photographic-textual frames and risk-benefit frames on public support for sciences was found, with gaps in public support amplified among participants in the photographic-risk and textual-risk frame. The results also showed significant three-way interaction between science topics, photographic-textual, and risk-benefit frames on public support and risk perception. Implications for theory and practice were discussed.
author2 Shirley Ho Soo Yee
author_facet Shirley Ho Soo Yee
Lee, Edmund Wei Jian
format Theses and Dissertations
author Lee, Edmund Wei Jian
author_sort Lee, Edmund Wei Jian
title The effects of photographic and textual framing on public support and risk perception of controversial and non-controversial sciences
title_short The effects of photographic and textual framing on public support and risk perception of controversial and non-controversial sciences
title_full The effects of photographic and textual framing on public support and risk perception of controversial and non-controversial sciences
title_fullStr The effects of photographic and textual framing on public support and risk perception of controversial and non-controversial sciences
title_full_unstemmed The effects of photographic and textual framing on public support and risk perception of controversial and non-controversial sciences
title_sort effects of photographic and textual framing on public support and risk perception of controversial and non-controversial sciences
publishDate 2014
url http://hdl.handle.net/10356/61657
_version_ 1681042827073552384