Fighting Fire or Fighting War: Examining the Framing Effects of COVID-19 Metaphors

The landslide’s conceptualizing economic decline and its framing effect: Mandarin evidence

“…Theoretically, the weak metaphorical framing effect exhibited in the landslide-framed economic crises is in line with prior studies that metaphorical frames would indeed influence reasoning, emotions, judgments, and behaviors to a certain degree ( Thibodeau and Boroditsky, 2011 , 2013 , 2015 ; Boeynaems et al, 2017 ; Thibodeau et al, 2017 ; Hendricks et al, 2018 ; Hart, 2021 ; Benczes and Ságvári, 2022 ; Brugman et al, 2022 ; Tao et al, 2023 ). Practically, given that risk communication in different metaphorical frames influences the audience’s reasoning, decisions, and even behavior because of the framing effect ( Gibbs and Cameron, 2008 ; Ervas et al, 2021 ), governments, reporters, and experts should be more cautious about metaphor choice in risk warning and communication.…”

“…In prior studies, it was confirmed that metaphorical frames shape reasoning and thought and affect people's opinions and decisions by instantiating frame-consistent knowledge structures and inviting structurally consistent inferences (e.g., Charteris-Black, 2011;Thibodeau and Boroditsky, 2011, 2013, 2015Boeynaems et al, 2017;Hart, 2021;Benczes and Ságvári, 2022;Brugman et al, 2022;Tao et al, 2023). Landslide, as a natural disaster frame, is characterized by downward gestures at great velocity, severe mud and rock congestion in traffic, and bringing damage to areas nearby and underneath.…”

“…According to prior research, metaphorical frames such as organisms and natural disasters are typically used to communicate economic crises or declines (e.g., Charteris-Black and Ennis, 2001 ; Charteris-Black and Musolff, 2003 ; de los Ríos, 2010 ; Wang et al, 2013 ; Piromalli, 2021 ; Zeng et al, 2021 ). Recent psychological research has implied the exertion of metaphorical framing effects on reasoning, i.e., the persuasive power of metaphors (e.g., Thibodeau and Boroditsky, 2011 , 2013 , 2015 ; Thibodeau, 2017 ; Thibodeau et al, 2017 ; Thibodeau and Flusberg, 2017 ; Joris et al, 2019 ; Hart, 2021 ; Benczes and Ságvári, 2022 ; Brugman et al, 2022 ; Tao et al, 2023 ). Some psychological researchers argue that metaphors shape reasoning in the way that metaphor frames appear to instantiate frame-consistent knowledge structures and invite structurally consistent inferences, thus affecting reasoning and opinions (e.g., Charteris-Black, 2011 ; Thibodeau and Boroditsky, 2011 , 2013 , 2015 ; Landau et al, 2014 ; Thibodeau et al, 2017 ).…”

“…Metaphors are found to be 6% more influential and persuasive than literal language in persuasion tasks when metaphorical framing is observed in practice ( Sopory and Dillard, 2002 ). Recent psychological studies suggest that metaphorical frames affect people’s opinions and judgments by eliciting knowledge structures that are consistent with the frame and inviting structurally consistent inferences (e.g., Robins and Mayer, 2000 ; Schlesinger and Lau, 2000 ; Charteris-Black, 2011 ; Thibodeau and Boroditsky, 2011 , 2013 , 2015 ; Landau et al, 2014 ; Thibodeau et al, 2017 ; Thibodeau and Flusberg, 2017 ; Joris et al, 2019 ; Hart, 2021 ; Benczes and Ságvári, 2022 ; Brugman et al, 2022 ; Tao et al, 2023 ). People may propose different solutions to the same social issue—crime—in studies with a framing effect of significant difference ( Thibodeau and Boroditsky, 2011 , 2013 ).…”