Definition
Framing is the principle that the same facts can lead to different judgments depending on how they are presented. The wording chosen, the comparison point offered, and the context surrounding a statement all influence how it is understood — even when the underlying information is identical.
A classic illustration is describing a medical treatment as having a 90 percent survival rate versus a 10 percent mortality rate. The two phrasings carry identical data, yet people consistently respond more favorably to the survival frame.
Why it matters
How it works
Framing exploits the fact that the mind evaluates options relative to a reference point rather than in absolute terms. A gain frame and a loss frame anchor judgment differently; an emphasized detail crowds out an omitted one; a chosen category — investment versus expense, freedom fighter versus rebel — pre-loads an evaluation.
The defense is to actively re-describe a claim in a neutral or opposite frame and check whether your reaction changes. If it does, your judgment was tracking the presentation rather than the substance. Asking what was left out of the frame is equally important, since framing works as much by omission as by emphasis.