Framing Science

In the last 30 days (or the last 6 years depending on how you frame the argument) President Bush has done a complete about-face where he now shows his support to cut emissions of greenhouse gases linked to global warming. In an article published on June 3rd in the International Herald Tribune, it is reported that after all the foot-dragging and insistence that science was too iffy and the costs of change too high, Bush is proposing to get his cowboy on and round ‘em up – that is, the 15 countries responsible for 85% of the problem and over the next 18 months lay out a plan, nation-by-nation, to slow and eventually reduce emissions. The impression that the article gives is that there might be something worthwhile in the Bush plan. In fact, the headline signals that last week's initial reaction to the plan might have been too harsh. For its international readership, the article leads with specifics on support from the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, a very strong opinion leader endorsement for that audience. The article closes with comments from Stanford communication professor Jon Krosnick, who implies that public opinion trends have left a once reluctant administration with nothing to lose by offering up meaningful policy.

In an subsequent article published on June 4th in The New York Times, the headlines are far less positive, implying that there are a few who find something to like with the Bush plan, though expert opinion still weighs in heavily against it. The introductory paragraph reinforces this impression, asserting any support is “conditional” upon the administration following through on its plan. The end quote in the article, from Dartmouth professor and environmental advocate Michael Dorsey, emphasizes that on climate change, given its track record, the Bush administration is not to be trusted.

The point is that when we are asked to make sense of an uncertain and complex subject, perception will be at least in part both frame and reference dependent. This framing-by-way-of-editing leads to slightly different interpretations as to the motivations of the Bush administration and how experts are evaluating its new climate plan.

“Give us a press conference to say what you've done yesterday. Don't tell us any more what you're going to do tomorrow.” ~Michael Dorsey