Say It in Their Words: Overcoming Political Divisions through Moral Reframing

• In Event: Media and Communication Paths to Depolarization

Abstract

Current pressing challenges, such as the environmental crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, concern everyone, and yet political polarization hampers effective political communication across social divisions. Moral reframing, a technique involving framing messages consistent with the moral values of the receiver, offers a potential solution and induces individuals to support positions they typically oppose. Despite its demonstrated success for persuading people of reasons to get vaccinated and act pro-environmentally in the US, little is known about its effects in other contexts. I argue that moral reframing holds promise for addressing societal divides on other issues, like migration, too, extending its applicability beyond the US.
To investigate the varying effects of moral reframing, I designed a conjoint experiment presenting diverse moral framings of messages on migration, environment, health, and tax policies. The experiment considers the influence of policy makers' gender and social groups on the persuasive impact. By collecting survey responses from over 2000 participants in Germany and the UK, I shed light on the nuanced effects of moral reframing in different policy fields and policy makers. My results will inform research on political communication in times of polycrisis, offering insights that can assist policymakers in overcoming societal divisions.

Author

• Greta Frederike Groß, Hertie School