Expressive responses to news stories about extremist groups: A framing experiment

Michael P. Boyle; Mike Schmierbach; Cory L. Armstrong; Jaeho Cho; Michael McCluskey; Douglas M. McLeod; Dhavan V. Shah

doi:10.1111/j.1460-2466.2006.00019.x

Expressive responses to news stories about extremist groups: A framing experiment

Michael P. Boyle, Mike Schmierbach, Cory L. Armstrong, Jaeho Cho, Michael McCluskey, Douglas M. McLeod, Dhavan V. Shah

Film-Video and Media Studies

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

45 Scopus citations

Abstract

With the tension between national security and civil liberties as a backdrop, this study examines responses to news coverage of activist groups. This 2 × 2 experiment presented participants with news stories about government efforts to restrict the civil liberties of an "extremist" individual or group (news frame) advocating for a cause supported or opposed by the respondent (cause predisposition). Willingness to take expressive action was greatest for individual-framed stories about a cause opposed by the respondent and for groupframed stories about a cause supported by the respondent. We contend that when reporters frame stories about extremist groups around individuals, fewer people will speak out in favor of causes they agree with and more will rally against causes they oppose.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	271-288
Number of pages	18
Journal	Journal of Communication
Volume	56
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.2006.00019.x
State	Published - Jun 2006

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Communication
Language and Linguistics
Linguistics and Language

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10.1111/j.1460-2466.2006.00019.x

Cite this

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AU - Boyle, Michael P.

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AU - Cho, Jaeho

AU - McCluskey, Michael

AU - McLeod, Douglas M.

AU - Shah, Dhavan V.

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Expressive responses to news stories about extremist groups: A framing experiment

Abstract

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

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