National polls indicate majority public support in
the United States for environmental protection and controls on growth,
but voters remain uncertain about the best policies to achieve these
goals. Their uncertainty stems from the novelty of the growth issue
and their ambivalence over the right balance to strike between conservation
and development. Because most voters do not hold firm positions
on these issues, the framing of policy alternatives can significantly
affect their preferences.
In theory, balanced discussion can reduce or eliminate
framing effects. Research suggests that political competition and
debate will balance presentation of arguments and cancel out the
effects of biased frames. If so, then framing effects are largely
manifestations of laboratories and surveys, but not of real political
campaigns. In practice, however, the theoretical conditions that
reduce framing influences are often not realized in campaigns. Although
framing strategies can be offset by two-sided discussion, actual
campaigns often do not provide balanced debate. Elections can be
one-sided affairs in which the public receives mainly one perspective
on the issues. Even when campaigns are competitive, framing can
still affect the distribution of preferences when the adversaries
do not possess equal organizations and resources. Recent campaigns
over growth-and-conservation ballot measures in Oregon, New Mexico,
and Arizona are used to illustrate the factors that prevent equal
debate and create the conditions for framing effects on these issues.
Dennis Chong, Political Science
and Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University Yael Wolinsky-Nahmias, Political Science, Northwestern
University
To Order:
Hard copies of IPR working papers cost $5.00 each (international orders are $10 each). We only accept checks drawn on U.S. bank and payable in U.S. funds. Checks or
money orders should be made payable to Northwestern University and sent to
the following address:
Publications Department - WP Orders
Institute for Policy Research
2040 Sheridan Rd., Evanston, IL 60208-4100.
For information, call 847-491-8712 or email ipr@northwestern.edu.
Please note that we do not accept credit cards.
