Framing Devices

Framing devices manifest themselves in the use of linguistic expressions, metaphors, patterns of argumentation, and keywords. Entry is connected to causal attributions cultural motifs Field of Application/Theoretical Foundation Framing devices can be used as a variable to analyse how texts contribute to frames through of their use of idioms, metaphors and key words. “Thus, the power of a frame can be as great as that of language itself.” (Entman, 1993, p. 55) References/Combination with other methods of data collection The manual content analysis combined both quantitative and qualitative categories of a press article. In addition to the formal categories that can be ascribed to a press release, the frame elements were also coded in the analysis. Hereby, the framing devices refer to the more qualitative analysis of an article. Example studies: Pentzold Pentzold Van Gorp (2) definition of the problem; (3) cause (why is it a problem?); (4) consequences; (5) moral values involved; (6) possible solutions/actions; (7) metaphors, choice of vocabulary. Values: The qualitative analysis resulted in a total of twelve frame packages (six frames and six counter-frames). Each consists of a central cultural theme, a definition of dementia, the causes and possible consequences, the moral evaluation and possible future scenarios of dementia. (1A. Dualism of body and mind vs. 1B. Unity of body and mind; 2; The invader; 3. The strange travelling companion; 4A. Faith in science vs. 4B. Natural ageing; 5. The fear of death and degeneration; 6. Carpe diem; 7A. Reversed roles vs. 7B. Each in turn; 8A. No quid pro quo vs. 8B. The Good Mother) Reliability: First, both authors coded independently of each other and met to discuss differences. This resulted in tentative frames which were used for further qualitative research of the material. Then, the frames found were discussed with experts (in a workshop setting). Codebook: Description of the sample (newspapers and audiovisual material) can be found at the end of the article (appendix of Van Gorp Entman, 1991, p. 52). These four elements are the reasoning devices of a frame. They are accompanied by the so-called framing devices which are stylistic devices, catchphrases, metaphors, and references. To that end, for the manual frame analysis on Big Data in the press aggregates, we developed codes for framing devices (1), reasoning devices (2), and cultural motifs (3). All three elements form part of a frame package (Van Gorp, 2007, 2010). To build the frame packages, we followed procedures of both block modeling and cluster analysis. First, a block modeling was conducted – as introduced by White for structural analyses (White et al., 1976) – to prepare the data set for the cluster analysis. Then, the coded cultural motifs, the reasoning devices, and the framing devices that correlated strongly in the data set (a total of 9 variables and 34 codes) were chosen. With that, a hierarchical cluster analysis (Ward method) was conducted (Matthes data as new science 2 Effectiveness/efficiency in terms of how the data are (data quality; data as facts): accurate, exact, enlightening; intelligent machines as more-than-humans: their speed, capacity, permanence 3 new oil / gold mine / raw materials or natural goods wash data like gold; data as new oil, data refining, the new oil of the internet, harvesting data, gold of the 21st century, spinning data gold 4 military armament with data for mass surveillance Data as a weapon, killing for data, know-it all; Palantir struggle/war/surveillance: control, dominance, form of tyranny, manipulation, in the centre of electoral campaigns, data/psychological warfare, data targeting arsenal 5 Data as force for good Data as danger and chance, “connectivity”, no data like more data, the more-the better; profits, benefits everyone, new hope, driven by change 6 Data as natural resource collecting as in agriculture or with metals (mining, harvesting), raw-processing, profit maximization, data are valuable, “Informationskapitalismus” pure data, Rohstoff 7 Overwhelming abundance of data (e.g. mountain or water metaphors); all-availability, uncontrollability; data deluge, big-data wave, flood of data, wave of technology, ocean of data/algorithms 8 data-based representations data shadows, data profiles, data footprint, digital shadow/ twin simulation, distorted reflection of own identity 9 Data smog data pollution, data exhaust 10 “Hot shit” Big Data as trend/hype -98- / -99 Something else/ nothing detected Note: A maximum of four framing devices can be coded. References Entman, R. M. (1991). Framing U.S. Coverage of International News: Contrasts in Narratives of the KAL and Iran Air Incidents: Symposium. Journal of Communication, 41(4), 6–27. Jasanoff, S. (2015). Future Imperfect. In S. Jasanoff & S. Kim (Eds.), Dreamscapes of Modernity (pp. 1–33). Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Matthes, J., & Kohring, M. (2008). The Content Analysis of Media Frames: Toward Improving Reliability and Validity. Journal of Communication, 58(2), 258–279. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.2008.00384.x Pentzold, C., & Fischer, C. (2017). Framing Big Data: The discursive construction of a radio cell query in Germany. Big Data & Society, July-December, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1177/2053951717745897 Pentzold, C. & Knorr, C. (2024). Making Sense of “Big Data”: Ten Years of Discourse Around Datafication (ICA 2024, 74th Conference, Gold Coast, Australia). Pentzold, C., & Knorr, C. (2021-2024). Framing Big Data (DFG). Leipzig University. https://www.sozphil.uni-leipzig.de/en/institut-fuer-kommunikations-und-medienwissenschaft/professuren/chair-of-media-and-communication/forschungs-und-praxisprojekte/framing-big-data van Atteveldt, W. (2008). Semantic network analysis: Techniques for extracting, representing and querying media content. SIKS dissertation series: no. 2008-30. BookSurge. Van Gorp, B. (2007). The Constructionist Approach to Framing: Bringing Culture Back In. Communication Research, 57, 60–78. Van Gorp, B. (2010). Strategies to Take Subjectivity Out of Framing Analysis. In P. D´Angelo & J. A. Kuypers (Eds.), Communication Series. Doing News Framing Analysis: Empirical and Theoretical Perspectives (pp. 84–109). New York: Routledge. Van Gorp, B., & Vercruysse, T. (2012). Frames and counter-frames giving meaning to dementia: A framing analysis of media content. Social Science & Medicine (1982), 74(8), 1274–1281. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2011.12.045 White, H. C., Boorman, S. A., & Breiger, R. L. (1976). Social Structure from Multiple Networks. I. Blockmodels of Roles and Positions. American Journal of Sociology, 81(4), 730–780. http://www.jstor.org/stable/2777596