Simple Game Reveals How Political Frames Spread Through Social Networks

Political communication via social networks often feels like a game of telephone. This study argues that certain media messages stick while others fade because they align with citizens' cognitive biases and are recalled more accurately within their own social circles.

Experimental Design

• Implemented the 'Telephone' children's game in online surveys using nationally representative samples to test frame transmission and influence.

Key Findings

• Frames that resonate with deep psychological decision rules (cognitive biases) transmit further and impact opinions more strongly. These are termed strong frames.
• Conversely, if citizens recall a message inaccurately during social transmission, the resulting distorted frames have less persuasive power.

Why It Matters

This research bridges political communication studies with cognitive psychology by demonstrating that even in complex two-step flows, simple mechanisms predict which messages gain influence and which become distorted.