Priming

In communication research the priming approach describes how media primes can shape recipients' cognitions, decisions and behavior. For instance, recipients can be primed on a certain perspective (e.g, critical view on the US) by terms (like "torture") or by frames (like "Guantanamo") in a newspaper article or in a blogger post. The book describes the cognitive psychological origin of the priming approach, presents the two main readings of priming developed by Iyengar and Kinder as well as by Price and Tewksbury. Besides, overlaps and differences between priming and similar concepts like agenda setting, framing und instrumental actualization will be discussed. Finally key studies and core methods will be discussed critically.