Diachronic Framing Effects in Competitive Opinion Environments

Although theoretical models understand framing as a process that evolves over time, most prior studies were designed to measure the immediate effects of news frames. We theorize that framing effects are diachronic in nature; that is, framing effects at some given point in time can be diminished or reversed at a later point in time. It is argued that the longevity of framing effects depends on how certain people are when they form their initial opinions. If the effects of frames lead to opinions that are held with low certainty, future exposure to competing frames can alter opinions in directions opposite to the original frame. In contrast, when people hold rather strong opinions as a result of initial frame exposure, these framing effects are likely to persist over time. Two studies support the claim that the longevity of framing effects is conditional on opinion certainty.