What is Framing?
Framing is the choices we make in what we say and how we say it. We’re framing when we decide what to emphasize, how to explain, which metaphors to use, which values to center, and even what to leave unsaid. These choices matter. They affect how people hear us, what they understand, and how they act. When we change the story and how we tell it, we can change the world.
Why Framing Matters
Awareness
People can’t care about an issue they don’t think about. Effective framing helps put important topics on the radar.
Understanding
Most people don’t understand social issues the way the experts, scientists, or people with lived experience do. Framing helps expand our mental models.
Support
For progress to happen, people must not only understand an issue but also support change. Framing helps people see a social problem as something we can solve.
Demand
Let’s take it a step further. When we frame an issue together, we can build narratives that bolster demand for changes that make our world more just.
What's the Science Behind Effective Framing?
We apply rigorous methods from the social and behavioral sciences to uncover frames that work.
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Impact Stories / Effective Framing in Practice
Impact Spotlight: Framing Child Wellbeing
Building Strong Brains in Tennessee
