Article(print)1996

Framing Responsibility for Political Issues

In: The annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Volume 546, p. 59-70

Iyengar, Shanto

Order using Subito

Checking availability at your location

Abstract

The influence of TV news on viewers' attributions of responsibility for political issues is examined, drawing on nine experiments conducted 1985-1987 that had up to 244 Ss (residents of Suffolk County, NY) viewing videotaped news stories framed in either episodic or thematic terms. TV's systematic reliance on episodic over thematic depictions of political life elicits individualistic attributions of responsibility for national problems such as poverty & terrorism. These attributions emphasize the actions of private rather than governmental actors. It is concluded that by obscuring the connections between political problems & the actions or inactions of political leaders through use of specific frames, TV news trivializes political discourse & weakens the accountability of elected officials. Adapted from the source document.

Report Issue

If you have problems with the access to a found title, you can use this form to contact us. You can also use this form to write to us if you have noticed any errors in the title display.