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Evaluative polarity words in risky choice framing

Wallin, Annika LU ; Paradis, Carita LU orcid and Konstantinos, Katsikopoulos (2016) In Journal of Pragmatics p.20-38
Abstract
This article is concerned with how we make decisions based on how problems are presented to us and the effect that the framing of the problem might have on our choices. Current philosophical and psychological accounts of the framing effect in experiments such as the Asian Disease Problem (ADP) concern reference points and domains (gains and losses). We question the importance of reference points and domains. Instead, we adopt a linguistic perspective focussing on the role of the evaluative polarity evoked by the words - negative
and positive - used to describe the options in the decision problem. We show that the evaluative polarity of the different wordings in the ADP better explain participants’ behaviour than reference points and... (More)
This article is concerned with how we make decisions based on how problems are presented to us and the effect that the framing of the problem might have on our choices. Current philosophical and psychological accounts of the framing effect in experiments such as the Asian Disease Problem (ADP) concern reference points and domains (gains and losses). We question the importance of reference points and domains. Instead, we adopt a linguistic perspective focussing on the role of the evaluative polarity evoked by the words - negative
and positive - used to describe the options in the decision problem. We show that the evaluative polarity of the different wordings in the ADP better explain participants’ behaviour than reference points and domains. We propose two models in which the values given to evaluative polarity words (their valence) directly influence the strength of framing. The results indicate that linguistic considerations regarding evaluative polarity have to be considered in relation to the ADP. The account resembles Fuzzy-Trace-Theory but allows for the
strength of evaluative polarity to directly affect behaviour. In the discussion, we also assess how evaluative polarity relates to negation, antonyms and the communicative frame within which the choices are presented. (Less)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Asian Disease Problem, Evaluative polarity, Framing, Riskychoice framing, Valence
in
Journal of Pragmatics
issue
106
pages
18 pages
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:84994300016
  • wos:000390741500002
ISSN
0378-2166
DOI
10.1016/j.pragma.2016.09.005
project
How the human mind makes use of contraries in everyday life: A new multidimensional approach to contraries in perception, language, reasoning and emotions
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
967c3ca3-e395-458e-8a05-09c25704eab6
date added to LUP
2016-09-12 12:34:53
date last changed
2022-04-24 17:32:46
@article{967c3ca3-e395-458e-8a05-09c25704eab6,
  abstract     = {{This article is concerned with how we make decisions based on how problems are presented to us and the effect that the framing of the problem might have on our choices. Current philosophical and psychological accounts of the framing effect in experiments such as the Asian Disease Problem (ADP) concern reference points and domains (gains and losses). We question the importance of reference points and domains. Instead, we adopt a linguistic perspective focussing on the role of the evaluative polarity evoked by the words - negative<br/>and positive - used to describe the options in the decision problem. We show that the evaluative polarity of the different wordings in the ADP better explain participants’ behaviour than reference points and domains. We propose two models in which the values given to evaluative polarity words (their valence) directly influence the strength of framing. The results indicate that linguistic considerations regarding evaluative polarity have to be considered in relation to the ADP. The account resembles Fuzzy-Trace-Theory but allows for the<br/>strength of evaluative polarity to directly affect behaviour. In the discussion, we also assess how evaluative polarity relates to negation, antonyms and the communicative frame within which the choices are presented.}},
  author       = {{Wallin, Annika and Paradis, Carita and Konstantinos, Katsikopoulos}},
  issn         = {{0378-2166}},
  keywords     = {{Asian Disease Problem; Evaluative polarity; Framing; Riskychoice framing; Valence}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{09}},
  number       = {{106}},
  pages        = {{20--38}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Journal of Pragmatics}},
  title        = {{Evaluative polarity words in risky choice framing}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/16438277/ADP_decisions_and_evaluative_polarity_main.pdf}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.pragma.2016.09.005}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}