This post is the end of an idea I’ve had for quite some time about one of my favorite communication principles: framing. I was ready to write this purely from an academic perspective when a couple of serendipitous elements crossed my attention.
First, Apple released the Macintosh 26 years ago today. (And as an early adopter, you might say: Holy Kaw. I remember that clearly.) The news led me to a now classic video of Steve Jobs introducing the new product. Take note of the first line: “There have only been two major products in our industry.” We will come back to this in a moment.
Second, today I saw this nugget about the next (supposed?) Apple tablet: Steve Jobs says that the Apple tablet “will be the most important thing I have ever done.”
Cue bulb and sound effect.
Before I can explain, I need to step back and talk about framing. It is one of my favorite ideas of communication, both among the simplest concepts to understand and the most difficult to master. Here is a definition:
In communication theory and sociology, framing is a process of selective control over the individual’s perception of the media, public or private communication, in particular the meanings attributed to words or phrases. Framing defines how an element of rhetoric is packaged to allow certain interpretations and rule out others. Media frames can be created by the media or by specific political or social movements or organizations. The concept is generally attributed to the work of Erving Goffman, especially his 1974 book, Frame analysis: essay on the organization of experience.
Source: Framing (communication theory) – Psychology Wiki.
Deetz, Tracy and Simpson, in Leading Organizations Through Transition, defined it this way: “Framing refers to the ways in which the leader can use his language to shape or modify particular interpretations of organizational events thus directing the probable responses … [F]raming focuses on the everyday communication of organizational metaphors, stories, artifacts, and myths that shape interpretations. “
We are all familiar with this concept to some degree. A classic trope on television shows is that the doctor asks the family member to sit down and listen to some news; the news is framed. In other words, “Let me tell you, I’m about to give you some bad news.” Then I hand it over. The theory, I suppose, in the land of television is that the family member has the opportunity to absorb that something bad is happening so that they do not pass out or overreact.
However, the framing is much more subtle. From anthropology we know that our frames of reference are “socially constructed”, that is, we remember them as cultures through a complex series of negotiations and innumerable acts of communication. Our tone, word choice, sentence structure, volume, even our clothing all contribute to telling the recipient of a message. how the creator of the message intends it to be read. This is why satire (like Jonathon Swift’s) is so effective: It starts with a typical framing of something we’re all familiar with, carefully reasoned argumentation, and turns it upside down. It is much more effective thanks to its novelty.
Framing has tremendous power. A friend of mine who is a genius at writing headlines once told us about Chaplin’s rule: that life is a series of ins and outs. I found this to be true – write a great clue, find a great conclusion, and very little else will be remembered. The story is framed. Deetz et al use the example of a manager telling employees that something is “important”; using the word gives the activity a higher value than if it were simply a “do.” Even something like the sequence can have meaning. As the Spinal Tap manager points out: “I’ve told you hundreds of times: put ‘Spinal Tap’ first and ‘Puppet Show’ last.”
Framing is a “meta” activity. It is information about information. It is a set of suggested rules for the recipient that helps you structure the reading of your message. It requires trust. This makes framing exceptionally difficult to work with, and many communication calamities arise when people inadvertently frame things incorrectly or are unaware of the frame in which they are working.
So what about that light bulb?
Well, let’s go back to Steve’s presentation. Take those words – “there have only been two major products in our industry” – and think about how Jobs asks you to read what is going to be said. Then watch as, over and over again, you frame what you are about to say next. Guides us through your presentation from point to point. always telling us what he’s going to tell us. Always leave them wanting more.
And then consider his recent statements that his new tablet will be “the most important thing I have ever done.” This is going to be revolutionary, he says. He wants you to read this not as just another piece of computer equipment, but as a great experience that is about to be revealed, something that will transform you. He is framing this in terms of his past framing. How about that for postmodernists?
Apple, and more specifically Steve Jobs, are masters of framing. They knew they needed to put a nimble logo, not a company name, on the PC to make it more user-friendly (and they added a bit of spice by referencing the tree of knowledge). They knew he needed a smiley face when he started so that you could interpret his intentions as positive. They got that computers had to come in friendlier colors and shapes and use interfaces that look like things in the real world. They knew you were looking at the PCs the wrong way. And that’s his genius: framing. Jobs smiles and says, This is going to be “unbelievably cool,” and we are urged to forget reason and just enjoy ourselves.
Framing is something that can be used for good or for something else. However, I hope you don’t think it is not necessary. Everyone on the planet has had the experience of asking others if they take any statement seriously. It is not always easy to understand. Among trusted, informed, and critical-minded groups, framing can be a very valuable activity. For the public, keeping an eye on the frames can help avoid plucking. You really don’t have a choice. Not choosing a frame is itself a form of framing.
So what examples of framing do you see? How could you best use framing in your business or organization?