Surprise! Surprise! A Serial Mediation of News Framing Effects on Behavioral Intention via Surprise and Anger

• In Event: Advances in Framing Research: Experimentation

Abstract

Research suggests that news framing effects on political behavior are mediated by several emotions at the same time. Until now, however, less is known about the possibility that these effects may unfold in a serial fashion whereby one emotion triggers another before influencing a person’s behavioral intentions. In this survey experiment (N=201), we shed light on these questions by testing (1) whether the effects of two emotional news frames on behavioral intentions are serially mediated via surprise and anger. In addition, we investigate (2) in how far framing effects on surprise are moderated by temporal distance or proximity. Results support the idea that framing effects are serially mediated via surprise and anger. The effects of news framing on surprise, however, were only apparent when the policy was temporally proximal. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.

Author

• Alina Feinholdt, University of Amsterdam