Psychology
What is The framing effect?
The framing effect is a bias where the way information is presented — not just the facts — changes our decisions. People react differently to '90% fat-free' than to '10% fat', even though they mean the same thing.
See it, don’t just read it.
Watch a 2-minute lesson with voice + animation that explains the framing effect.
Key things to understand
- 1How information is worded shapes our choices.
- 2Positive vs. negative framing leads to different decisions.
- 3It works even when the underlying facts are identical.
- 4Marketers and media use it constantly.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the framing effect?
- A bias where the way information is presented changes our decisions, even if the facts stay the same.
- What's an example of the framing effect?
- '90% fat-free' sounds better than '10% fat', though they describe exactly the same food.
- How can you avoid the framing effect?
- Restate choices in neutral terms and consider both the positive and negative framing before deciding.