Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives The Framing Challenge Trish Hennessy Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives www.policyalternatives.ca

Why can’t progressives connect?

Neurological science findings Reason vs. emotion – which one wins? Facts, figures don’t move people Reason, enlightenment doesn’t sway Emotions affect decision-making Can appeal to values that trigger emotions Can reinforce existing perceptions through repetition Can re-wire the brain through emotional hot buttons

Primary influence in ballot choice

Primary influence in ballot choice

Primary influence in ballot choice

Primary influence in ballot choice

Optimal focus of voters

Optimal focus of voters

Optimal focus of voters

Perceived emotional manipulation by politicians

Perceived emotional manipulation by politicians

Perceived emotional manipulation by politicians

Impact of expressions of patriotism among politicians

Impact of expressions of patriotism among politicians

Impact of expressions of patriotism among politicians Canadians don’t think they make decisions based on emotions, and they don’t want their politicians to either, but their behaviour indicates otherwise.

Research on emotions Thinking = processed feelings Emotions affect decision-making Important finding for framing Neurological science is forcing us to grapple with the role emotions play in decision making

How framing works Every word and idea exists within a frame. Surface frames touch surface emotions Deep frames tap into deeply-held values, principles, beliefs--morality. -- George Lakoff Rockridge Institute Lakoff: Language always comes with what is called "framing." Every word is defined relative to a conceptual framework. Conservatives have spent decades defining their ideas, carefully choosing the language with which to present them, and building an infrastructure to communicate them – putting progressives on the defensive

It’s not about spin Spin taps into surface frames Not enough to use better words Need to re-hardwire how we think When we focus on “spin” or short-term “message boxes,” we are merely playing with surface frames. It’s not enough to simply use better words. To change people’s minds, to re-hardwire how they think about issues, we need to tap into deep frames that evoke core progressive values such as trust, openness, honesty.

It’s not about ‘the’ issue Federal poll post-sponsorship scandal

It’s not about ‘the’ issue Federal poll post-sponsorship scandal Stop laundry list approach We need to start focusing on values rather than issues, drawing on issues to represent values (rather than hoping for the inverse). We cannot persuade by using facts alone. Rather, we need to frame facts to support uniquely progressive morals and principles.

It’s not about ‘the’ issue Federal poll post-sponsorship scandal Stop laundry list approach People vote based on values, connection, authenticity, trust, identity

It’s not about ‘the’ issue Federal poll post-sponsorship scandal Stop laundry list approach People vote based on values, connection, authenticity, trust, identity They rarely vote for a single issue

It’s about values …and Conservatives are better at messages that tap into their values than progressives are.

Conservative frame Father knows best Anyone know about this TV show?

Conservative frame Lakoff, Moral Politics: Conservative frame … Assumes that the world is dangerous and difficult; that children are born bad and must be made good. Moral authority. Painful discipline to grow up independent, self-reliant. Tough love to those who grow up dependent.

Nurturant parent family Progressive frame Nurturant parent family Assumes the world is basically good and can be made better. Children are born good; parents can make them better. Empathy Responsibility to take care of oneself and others Fairness

The power of repetition Repetition tricks the brain into believing myths and false statements are true -- Norbert Schwarz University of Michigan Things that are repeated often become more accessible in memory, and one of the brain's subconscious rules of thumb is that easily recalled things are true University of Michigan social psychologist Norbert Schwarz has done experiments showing that people remember things they hear repeated often enough, regardless of its source, and even if it's from a single source.

Staying out of their frame Negating the frame reinforces the frame -- George Lakoff Don’t think of an elephant repetition of "myths" and slogans helps lodge them in the minds of the public refuting them often leads only to the public remembering falsehoods better Example: Prime Minister Stephen Harper leads the debate over Canada’s military role in Afghanistan with the words “Support our troops.” NDP Leader Jack Layton responds with the words “Support our troops: send them home.” We repeat the language that taps into Conservative values and think adding on our own language will win people’s hearts and minds. It simply reinforces their frame.

Case study: Income inquality Rich Poor Middle class Putting it to the test Case study: Income inquality Rich Poor Middle class About our project Focus group research Felt we needed to know more about Canadians to reach a broader audience Needed to stop talking only to the converted

The rich are like cartoon characters Focus group research tells us Canadians view the rich as cartoon-like characters.

They can be celebrities

They can be celebrities…(kidman) Or sports stars…(david beckham)

They have something we don’t … some kind of smarts, drive, an allure.

They live in big houses, drive fancy cars, never worry about money, live in a very different world.

They live in big houses, drive fancy cars, never worry about money, live in a very different world.

They live in big houses, drive fancy cars, never worry about money, live in a very different world.

They live in big houses, drive fancy cars, never worry about money, live in a very different world.

When it comes to the poor, Canadians think about … The homeless (drive by or walk past on way to work). Welfare recipients who need a ‘hand up’. They think the poor lack the work ethic, education, drive, or decision-making capabilities the rich have.

Homeless (drive by or walk past on way to work). Welfare recipients who need a ‘hand up’. They lack the work ethic, education, drive, or decision-making capabilities the rich have.

Most identify with this image – they consider themselves middle class.

What Canadians think Canada is a middle class nation Middle class is as much a state of mind as it is an income category Middle class is the holy grail Aspirational notion Means people want: vacations, lunches out, trips to the hair salon, hockey and dance and music lessons for their kids … without worrying about the financial bottom line They want to own their own home: a symbol of security during insecure times. The irony is they’ll mortgage themselves up to their eyeballs, take great financial risk, to have the ‘security’ of a house. No surprise that Canadian households have record high debt and record low savings. Explains the worry.

Summary of focus groups Sketchy, stereotypical view of rich/poor Gaze is on the middle class Middle class proxy for the good life Sense of middle class struggle, worry No anger toward rich Some anger toward poor

Othering Middle class rationality helps them disengage Talking about people they don’t know A spectator sport (explains online newspaper comments) By using the gap between rich and poor frame, we were inadvertently helping Canadians disengage from the issue.

Empathy blocks/myths Family influence (children learn to be poor) Vicious cycle (poverty a way of life, a choice) Bad decisions, (too many kids, big TVs) Lack of work ethic, education Stubborn myth: Some people choose to be poor & won’t be helped Can never eliminate poverty These empathy blocks and myths help them rationalize their disengagement.

Conservative frame dominates Poor people need ‘tough love’ We need rich people to succeed Reward the winners, punish the losers The Conservative frame helps reinforce disengagement by tapping into individual responsibility values (as opposed to collective, social responsibility values).

Growing gap reframe The rich and the rest of us The majority vs. the elite few We put the promise of prosperity on trial Focused on worry Tried to separate rich from the rest of us – stories that show we’re all in it together Tried not to isolate the poor – it’s the system, and it isn’t working for the majority Empty promise Economic growth benefiting richest 10% Stagnant middle, poor falling behind

Progressive values we try to tap into

Use of repetition Our message box: The rich are getting richer The middle is being squeezed The poor are getting left behind Learning from neurological science findings: repetition is how brains get hardwired. Repetition of core messaging is important.

Use of emotion & fact Focus group gut check: What would it be like to live on $23,000 or less (poorest 20%) We asked Canadians what they thought of the fact that the poorest 20% earn $23,000 or less. They responded emotionally: “You can’t live off that” They can imagine the struggle to afford nutritious food, the stress of trying to pay the rent, keep the children clothed, deal with dental bills and health issues

Holding the lens on worry Struggle helps middle disconnect with poverty Affirming the struggle, and showing commonalities, helps tap social responsibility Solution: We’re in it together The middle class identifies with the struggle, because they feel they struggle every month to make ends meet Struggle is what helps them connect on an emotional level with poverty Struggle is also what helps them disconnect: they’re worried about their own situation, rising cost of living, etc.

Triggering moral outrage Highlight contrast between rich/poor (CEO and the teller inspiration); show absurdities

Pride Canadians don’t like that poverty exists in Canada and, within limits, they support moves to reduce it Canadians have national pride (and some arrogance). They think we’re better than Americans, kinder. they want to be leaders

Best defense a good offense It’s time to move away from critique and move towards change that feels do-able. This is key because progressives have become accustomed to being on the defensive, criticizing policy without successfully changing the conversation to what can be done about the growing gap.

Make the case for change Hold lens on what and why before solutions It’s time to move away from critique and move towards change that feels do-able. Tell us what you’re for, not what you’re against. That just reinforces current frames (government bad). (We often lead with our solutions without making a strong case for those solutions – eg City of Toronto land tax sparked outrage because no one made the case for the tax) Impossibility theorem – from helpless to inevitable

Avoid impossibility theorems (or try to) Solutions are brief, focused, pragmatic Example: complexity of poverty The problem with critique and complex analysis is that it leaves people with a sense that the problem is impossible to solve – the impossibility theorem. It’s important to break through that, to help people believe we can be part of the solution, not just a part of the problem. Example with poverty: Difference between poor and poverty: Canadians feel there’s hope for the poor (it’s temporary) They feel poverty is harder, more hopeless (taps into imagery of homeless, welfare)

The quiet limits of facts We use big numbers to shock but know numbers alone don’t move people In the focus groups we learned that ‘wow’ numbers shock people but the brain is hardwired to make ‘sense’ of new information, so people immediately try to ‘rationalize’. They’ll be shocked by how much more Canadian CEOs make than the average worker, but the number alone doesn’t lead to outrage because the brain starts to ‘rationalize’ the pay difference. They’ll say CEOs work more, take bigger risks, are better educated etc – they work at making sense of the information. It’s an example of the limits of facts and numbers. Without tapping into deeper values (fairness, for instance) facts alone don’t sway because of what we know from neurological science.

Trust issues with government A serious challenge Trust issues with government Victory of neoconservative movement: shaken faith in governments Think governments waste money, could help poor people if they wanted to, but they’re more interested in getting elected, listening to business Think most governments promising poverty reduction don’t mean it (apple pie promises)

Another serious challenge People are disengaged, ill informed

Awareness of budget

Second federal budget poll slide (60%) Awareness of budget

Second federal budget poll slide (60%) Awareness of budget

Second federal budget poll slide (60%) Awareness of budget

Perceived impact of the budget

Perceived impact of the budget

Perceived impact of the budget

The apathy trap Canadians think they want rational, reasoned political leadership but respond emotionally “Conservative fear frame” keeps getting tapped

2008 lowest since confederation : 58.8% 1958 highest - John Diefenbaker re-elected at 79.2% http://www.conferenceboard.ca/HCP/Details/society/voter-turnout.aspx

Get excited about your democracy “I Am Canadian” ad writer: 30% of the people are with you 30% are against you 20% are in the middle – the deciders Go after that 20%

Human stories that tap into emotions, values Show, don’t tell Human stories that tap into emotions, values

The ball’s in your court Emotions, message The ball’s in your court If I throw one ball at you, you’ll have to focus but you’ll probably catch it. If I throw two balls at you, you may drop both. If I throw three balls at you, you’ll likely drop all of the balls. One message at a time so it sticks. Repetition to make it stick. Tap into deeply held values.