Framing Scandals: Cognitive and Emotional Media Effects

When covering violations of social norms by public figures, the mass media depict the resulting damages and attribute responsibility to actors. These depictions of responsibility constitute frames that elicit reactions from recipients. A theory regarding the effects of these media frames on cognitions, emotions, and opinions is presented. Content analyses of the media coverage of four cases and corresponding surveys were conducted. The findings indicate that the cognitions, emotions, and opinions of recipients cannot be sufficiently explained by learning of media input; recipients process the content based on individual frames. They complement fragmentary media frames and generate consistent impressions based on media cues. Their judgments and emotional reactions go beyond the media's depictions and induce corresponding behavioral intentions.