The framing effect is a psychological bias that occurs when people's decisions and judgments are influenced by the way in which information is presented to them. For example, people may be more likely to choose option A if it is framed as a gain, rather than a loss, even if the options are identical. This can lead to suboptimal decisions and outcomes.
Here are five examples of the framing effect in business:
- A company presents a price increase to customers as a "limited time offer" or "special promotion" rather than a straight-up price increase, in order to make it more palatable to customers.
- A salesperson frames a product as a "luxury" item, rather than a regular item, in order to make it more appealing to customers and justify a higher price.
- A business owner frames a potential investment as a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" in order to convince investors to commit to it, even though it may not be the best investment available.
- A company frames a layoff as a "restructuring" or "reorganization" in order to make it more acceptable to employees and the public, rather than acknowledging it as a negative event.
- An advertiser frames a product as "all natural" or "organic" in order to appeal to consumers who value these attributes, even if the product only contains a small amount of natural or organic ingredients.
Here are three strategies that can help overcome the framing effect:
- Avoid using biased or manipulative language: By avoiding language that is designed to manipulate or influence people's decisions, businesses can present information in a more objective and unbiased way.
- Consider the impact of framing on decision-making: It's important to be aware of the potential impact of framing on decision-making, and to consider how different ways of presenting information may affect people's judgments and decisions.
- Seek out diverse perspectives and opinions: By seeking out diverse perspectives and opinions, businesses can expose themselves to a wider range of viewpoints and perspectives, which can help prevent them from being influenced by biased or manipulative framing.