Abstract

IDOYAGA, Nahia; FRANCISCO VALENCIA, José; GIL DE MONTES, Lorena  and  ORTIZ, Garbiñe. Framing effects and social representations of health epidemics: The case of influenza A. Escritos de Psicología [online]. 2012, vol.5, n.3, pp.31-42. ISSN 1989-3809.  https://dx.doi.org/10.5231/psy.writ.2012.0211.

This study analyzed how the mass media covered the influenza A (H1N1) pandemic and its influence on the social representation of the disease. Framing theory and a model of collective symbolic coping were both used to explain the influence of the mass media on social representation. The study was based on analyzing information on the influenza A pandemic provided by national newspapers in Mexico and Spain between 2009 and 2010. The results show that that the development of the crisis affected the use of different kinds of frames in the media. The use of different types of frames led to processes of collective symbolic coping, which are likely to alter the social representation of the epidemic. Data analysis using the Alceste program showed that the most prevalent frames used in the media were human interest and attributing responsibility to institutions. The theoretical implications of this study are discussed in terms of the relationship between Framing, social representations and the role of the mass media. Applied implications concern the strategies identified in the media to deal with health crisis.

Keywords : Media; Influenza A (H1N1); Framing; Collective Symbolic coping; Social Representations.

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