Storytelling and construction of knowledge

1. Storytelling and construction of knowledge Frames, Framers & Framing erino’brien 2013 University of Massachusetts Boston Academic Support Programs

2. The Basics. Framing theory and the concept of framing bias suggests that how something is presented (the “frame”) influences the choices people make. This idea is important because it is contrary to the central concept of of rational choice theory.  According to this theory, people always strive to make the most rational choices possible • http://www.csun.edu/~rk33883/Framing%20Theory%20Lecture%20Ubertopic.htm

3. Framing is relevant in many areas of life and scholarship • Business • Psychology • Education • Politics • Advertising • http://www.csun.edu/~rk33883/Framing%20Theory%20Lecture%20Ubertopic.htm

4. Every frame is realized in the brain by neural circuitry. Every time a neural circuit is activated, it is strengthened.

5. Truth or fiction? • Sometimes fictional stories are fine • But sometimes, the truth and accuracy of stories are crucial.

6. Down to basics: defining ‘truth’ • 16. Truth 1. Truth is the agreement or conformity of reality and the mind's judgment on reality. It is "the equation of thought and thing". Truth resides formally, or as such, in the mind which rightly judges a thing to be what it really is. Thus, formally, truth is truth of thought. There is also what is called truth of things; this is called ontological truth. • http://www.catholictheology.info/summa-theologica/summa-part1.php?q=34 2/3/2014

7. Original source for “truth” • A Tour of The Summa Paperback • by Rt. Rev. Msgr. Paul J. Glenn • TAN Books (1992)

8. Truth or fiction…its constructed!

9. To create and share stories is to be human Stories: convey a culture’s memories entertain teach inspire What else?

10. Most stories are Framed They do not include every detail or possible detail of a real or imagined event (information) The have a particular point to make that is part of the criteria for what is included & excluded from a story

11. We are all framers! They are constructed by and for people…like us!

14. Frames ---- “As” • Tom Brady as • successful athlete • defeated athlete • husband • father • What else?

15. Framers make decisions • Select/choose from a larger source or pool of reality and representations about: • what stays • central focus • periphery • What goes

17. December 17 2003 OsmaniSimanca Simanca is a Cuban-born cartoonist working in Brazil for A Tarde Newspaper. His cartoons are syndicated internationally by Cagle Cartoons.

18. S. Hussein & bin Laden • S. Hussein AS bin Laden

19. Apply our frame theory to this cartoon • What is the artist doing? • What is the point the artist is making by constructing this particular frame? • What’s the ‘story’? • Does the cartoon’s publication date reveal or suggest anything important about public knowledge of the quality of the sales pitch?

20. Some types & examples of everyday frames • “I had a great day at work.” • Bumper stickers & T-shirt logos, slogans etc • High school yearbook pictures • Ads • News reports • Photos • What else?

21. “I had a great day at work.” What do I exclude? What do I include? What kind of info? Factual Interpretive?

22. Pirates of Caribbean as frame • Compared to real life, we can easily see how this film is systematically framed to be a fast-moving fantasy-adventure: • What’s framed in • What’s framed out: sleeping, meals, personal hygiene– • Why these omissions • Compressions: time, journeys

23. Its ok to frame • Legitimate selections compressions

24. Questionable frames

25. Portraits: exclude and emphasize

26. Portraits have predictable exclusions and foci • What do the Obama & Clinton portraits emphasize? • What information or facts about Obama and Clinton do they exclude? • Why would these exclusions & compressions not typically be challenged?

27. We use frames everyday • To communicate & express: facts, feelings, ideas– everything! • To form judgments • To organize & coordinate with others • To accomplish tasks

28. Frames- job description (partial) • To interpret and re-interpret info • To make decisions about our actions and utterances • To justify our decisions and judgments

29. Essential ingredients • They don’t convey every possible fact or detail (framer probably doesn’t know the entire reality) • They choose what to include/exclude • How to include/exclude

30. Stories and people are complex! More than one possible version of same ‘event’ Different versions can all have some credibility/accuracy Often no single person or version can account for all that is true and real

31. Our essays = FRAMES ! • Sales pitch AS • 9-11 AS

32. Schudson on Framing • Three of his claims we’re using as anchors: • 1) ”… all representations are selective.”(26) • 2)“The very process of compression” (26) necessitates distortions. ” • 3)… it would be humanly impossible to avoid framing.”(29)

33. My 2 cents • Some claims are better than others • Virtually no frame is “perfect” i.e., 100% complete • All lies are frames • Not all frames are lies • Building on and juxtaposing frames is a valid way to deal with the inherent limitations • “Consequently frames are inherently problematic types of knowledge. As human persons, we need to critically analyze problematic knowledge and continually seek out new information/frames.”(erin, 2012)

34. Evaluating frames • Why bother? We make our decisions based on frames • How assess? • Based on what criteria? • On its own terms? • Other frames ? • What counts as distortion? • When is distortion “too much” or too little”? • We presuppose there is other relevant information including frames that would compensate

35. Frames- can’t live without them!