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Even simple framing effects are rational

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 October 2022

Stephen J. Flusberg
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, State University of New York Purchase College, Purchase, NY 10577, USAstephen.flusberg@purchase.eduhttps://www.purchase.edu/live/profiles/662-stephen-flusberg
Paul H. Thibodeau
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH 44074, USApaul.thibodeau@oberlin.eduhttps://www.oberlin.edu/paul-thibodeau
Kevin J. Holmes
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Reed College, Portland, OR 97202, USAkjholmes@reed.eduhttps://www.reed.edu/psychology/faculty/holmes.html

Abstract

Bermúdez persuasively argues that framing effects are not as irrational as commonly supposed. In focusing on the reasoning of individual decision-makers in complex situations, however, he neglects the crucial role of the social-communicative context for eliciting certain framing effects. We contend that many framing effects are best explained in terms of basic, rational principles of discourse processing and pragmatic reasoning.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press

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