How you ask a question matters. In the car crash demonstration, changing the cue from "smashed" to "bumped" when asking how fast the car was going had a significant impact of replies. We call this framing.
And it can be used to change perceptions of many things.
http://psychyogi.org/loftus-and-palmer-1974-eyewitness-testimony/
If you are as old as I am, mentioning Rwanda brings up memories of the 1994 genocide, in which 800,000 people, mostly ethnic Tutsis, were killed by the majority Hutus in 100 days.
But if you are under the age of 26, you weren't born when the tragedy occurred, so you would have no memory of it.
That makes Rwanda ripe for reframing. And they have taken full advantage of the opportunity.
The tourism board did a campaign focusing on gorillas and gorilla protection. They used social media to promote the opportunity to spend time with gorillas and sold tickets to the annual Kwita Izina, a Rwandan ceremony of giving a name to a newborn baby gorilla. (Mzezewa, 2019)
It's no surprise that they have been successful. After all traveling is all about the experience. ;-)
Places aren't the only things that can be reframed. Words can be too..
Which brings us to the term "bipartisan." According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of bipartisan is: of, relating to, or involving members of two parties."
Nowhere in that definition does it say that the members of the two parties need to be serving in Congress. A fact the current administration has taken note of. As a result they have defined policies that are supported by the majority of Americans as bipartisan regardless of whether or not Republicans in Congress agree. (2021)
It's an interesting approach.
Have you heard anything about the Biden administration's bipartisan approach? If so what did you hear? And where did you hear it? If this is the first time you are hearing about it, how does it make you feel? Do you agree with the idea of letting the people decide instead of their representatives?
Have you noticed that President Biden refers to Trump as "the former guy?" What do you think about that reframing? Is it effective in influencing your opinions? Will it be for others?
Will you go to Rwanda or another country that has been reframed? How do you choose your vacation locations? Do you worry about things that happened there before you were born?
Can you think of other examples of reframing that have influenced your decision-making?
Mzezewa, T. (2019, November 24) How to Rebrand a Country. nytimes.com. Retrieved May 3, 2021, from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/23/travel/rebrandng-croatia-colombia.html
(2021, April 14) Biden's Strange New 'Bipartisanship." wsj.com. Retrieved May 3, 2021, from
https://www.wsj.com/articles/bidens-strange-new-bipartisanship-11618440787
5 comments:
I've only heard mention of the bipartisan partnership has been to make sure that the administration avoids the hated filibuster. I've heard it when speaking to my dad who is dialed in to MSNBC and CNN. I heard this frequently during both the Obama administration. It makes me feel that the bipartisan play is a Democratic party framing technique. It seems that the current administration and the previous Obama administration both have tried to use this. I agree that people decide their representative. I think a better question would be to ask if the representatives should vote with their constituents in mind or should they vote with their beliefs. If the former is the case we would probably see quite a bit more "bipartisanship" and less voting with the party.
I haven't heard President Biden calling former President Trump the other guy. I think it's a strange reframing and I'm not sure it is effective. I think that its great for showcasing how his actions are different from the previous administration but it seems to me that the people who would be watching President Biden speak already disliked former President Trump. It may be a framing to President Biden supporters to show that he is being different and to give him time. If that is the case it may be more effective to keep placating to his administration's supporters. I don't think it will be effective to me because I don't want to know how his actions are different from the last president I want to know how it's going to help us today and tomorrow. Not that it's different from "the last guy". To former President Trump supporters I think it will be counter productive and show them what to oppose.
I don't think I would go to Rwanda but I have gone to and will go to other countries that have been reframed. I would love to go to Cuba, which in America eyes was a large adversary, and I would love to go to Argentina, who in the past allowed Nazi officers to seek asylum in their country and still to this day have Nazi sympathizers there. I chose my spots like you said because of the experience. I would have to say that I have been framed. Because I would travel to places that may have been no goes before I was born.
I've definitely been caught by a reframing. I'm a big history nerd, I've visited National Battlefields, Museums, and historical buildings turned into restaurants. Some of the treasures that are in these museums are probably gathered nefariously, some of the battlefields are sites of many deaths of Americans, and some of the historical sites were former confederate army command centers or hospitals. I don't support the stealing of other nations treasures, war, or the confederate secession/beliefs. I've just been reframed to enjoy these experiences because of the reframing that they are historically important.
It is the first time hearing a “bipartisan approach.” As a foreigner, the word “bipartisan” is hard to understand even after checking my dictionary. For me, the word gives me “harmonious” feeling. It seems like the Biden administration wants to work with Republicans to solve the big problems of country. It is opposite of Trump’s approach that split social and political groups. Biden administration might have a desire that to erase Trump era, so calling Trump “the former guy” is a sophisticated but powerful way to differentiate Biden and Trump. I think this reframing is very effective because nobody will listen to what a former guy says carefully because the word “former guy” gives a sense of feeling whatever he says or does it has done already and not important.
I didn't know about the story of genocide in Rwanda. I feel very sad about the tragedy of the Tutsis people. I hope there is no more genocide or attack on the Tutsis people. I am scary about the story but If the issue has been solved already, I think it's okay with a reframing of the country. Human beings have made many wrong and terrible decisions in history but a person or nation should not torture forever because of their bad choices in the past. Rwanda had an ugly history, but they should overcome their past and I support them in reframing the country.
Korea has a sad history when governed by Japan. Japanese soldiers exploited Korean and killed a lot of people. My grandparents also had a tough time during that period because of Japanese soldiers. For this reason, Korean people who helped Japanese soldiers at the time are still criticized and punished. I agree with punishing Korean people who helped Japanese soldiers directly, but I can't entirely agree their descendants also have to get punished. For instance, there is a Korean actress who is a granddaughter of a traitor who helped Japanese soldiers during the war. The actress is not related to what her grandfather did, but she continuously gets bullied by public even though she is a very talented actress. Whatever she does, people cover her with traitor's granddaughter frame. I feel pity when I see her on TV. I hope people reframe her as a good actress itself.
Can you think of other examples of reframing that have influenced your decision-making?
When I was in Korea, I knew a small food store that sells Korean side dishes as to go. Every time I just passed by the store and never visited inside. However, one day, I saw an article about the food store owner in a famous newspaper. The article said the young owner actually worked at a three Michelin stars restaurant, Le Bernardin, for a few years. Because Le Bernardin was the best restaurant in my life, I gave credits to the tiny food store owner, and I reframed the owner as a great cook. And then I went to the food store to taste his food. I didn’t like myself about how I quickly change my perception of him after I read the story he worked at the Le Bernardin but I accepted I am very weak to the authority when I make a decision.
-Hanjo-
Yes! I hear it often on the news. I also did a presentation for my macroeconomics class about Biden's bipartisan framing of his $3 trillion recovery plan. Notice how he calls it a recovery plan and not a green new deal? This is probably so conservative's against government spending do not equate it with Obama's ARRA. While some may think reframing is manipulative, I think it is a great way to avoid bias.
I have not noticed that President Biden refers to Trump as "the former guy", but I think it is another smart tactic. It is not speaking ill of Trump per se, but it is also not giving him the power or respect that president emeritus entails.
Right now my biggest concern with travel is safety. While I would love to see gorillas and other animal life up close and personal, I do not think I will be traveling internationally for a few years. I am much more concerned about COVID and the various strains than an attack that happened before I was born. I have been to countries that were reframed. I went to Cuba a few years ago and had a great time.
I think we fall prey to reframing often- when I was in line at Murray's bagels the other day my boyfriend couldn't help but notice the difference in Snapple's new packaging. The bottle was a more organic shape, and the label was simpler, cleaner, and featured pictures of a ripe peach surrounded by green leaves. Without hesitation, my brain thought, "what a nice healthy drink" before realizing we had talked about how unhealthy Snapple is a week prior in class.
I have not heard about the Biden administration's approach to the term bipartisan. Still, I have heard that term come from Biden and his press secretary many times when addressing the media. I heard the term bipartisan used frequently when advocating for the America Rescue Plan and wanting to get stimulus checks to the American public. I feel that the term should be used however the administration sees fit.
I agree with the idea of letting the people decide policy and the legislative agenda because elected officials work for the people, and their voices should be heard.
I have not heard Biden refer to Trump as the other guy, but I think it's a smart move to not give Trump the attention he wants - and by simply not saying his name - that's a start. However, the media will continue to polarize him because they need ratings and clicks. Reframing doe not influence my opinions. Most decisions I make are informed, and I have the answers I need before committing to something.
I have no intentions of going to Rwanda, not another country that was reframed. Although, if the country is sending a different message for the betterment of society, I would not have a problem visiting any country. I choose my vacation locations from research that I've done or through word-of-mouth.
I don't worry about things that happened before I was born because I don't think most of those things are prevalent in today's society, although some do have lasting effects today.
I have read the word "bipartisan'" on the news but I didn't understand what this word exactly means. When I first saw that word, I thought it means being separately.
I know that President Biden had a different task of identifying tasks in Trump administration. Biden and Trump had very different approaches regarding how they controlled the country. I haven't heard from President Biden refers Trump "the other guy", but from this name, I could feel that President Biden has many different ideas for this country compare to Trump.
Compare to Rwanda and other countries, America is more democratic and willing to approach challenges that move a step further to the actual change. American people accepts diversity in their country.
This is the first time I read about Rwanda's history. I will not consider going to Rwanda, I feel very sad for what happened there and I even can't believe it happened in 1990s, five years before I was born. I do worry about things happened before I was bored,I will read more articles about Rwanda tonight and I am interested in what is this country like in nowadays. I am wondering how people there think about their country's history; do they feel anger or sad.
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