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FrameWorks Research on Food Systems: 

FrameWorks Research on Food Systems Axel Aubrun, Ph.D. FrameWorks Institute Research Partner

Cognitive Assumptions: 

Cognitive Assumptions Involuntary Powerful Widely shared Stable

The Destruction of the Ozone Layer: 

The Destruction of the Ozone Layer Ozone in the stratosphere absorbs incoming solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) that is dangerous to living systems. This UVR causes damage to the genetic material in living systems. Ozone prevents the UVR from reaching the Earth’s surface, and so protects us from its harmful effects. Spacecraft sensors have observed ozone depletion during the Antarctic winter.

Slide4: 

The Hole in the Roof Scenario

Cognitive Assumptions (Cont’d): 

Cognitive Assumptions (Cont’d) Involuntary Powerful Widely shared Stable Implicit

The Responsible Mind: 

The Responsible Mind In order to take responsibility you have to be able to picture yourself as an actor in a system/scenario.

Cognitive Assumptions (Cont’d): 

Cognitive Assumptions (Cont’d) Involuntary Powerful Widely shared Stable Implicit Not always helpful Can change

FrameWorks Research on Food Systems: 

FrameWorks Research on Food Systems Meta-Analysis of Survey Research Elicitations With the Public Cognitive Analysis of Newspaper Coverage of Food Systems Review of Common Advocate Frames

FrameWorks Research: 

FrameWorks Research Elicitations With the Public

Methods: 

Methods 30 one-on-one in-depth interviews Indiana, North Carolina, California and Rhode Island 20 European-Americans, 4 African-Americans, 3 Hispanics, 3 Asian-Americans Evenly divided by gender, age from 20s to 60s.

Lived Experience and the Little Picture: 

Lived Experience and the Little Picture The “Big Picture” is Crowded Out

Slide12: 

Everyday Action Scenario (EAS)

Characteristics of Everyday Action Scenarios: 

Characteristics of Everyday Action Scenarios Concrete Human Scale Visible Cause and Effect

Everyday Responsibility: 

Everyday Responsibility Fixing a hole in the roof Gun self-protection SUV family protection

Slide15: 

Abstract Systems vs. EAS

A Cognitive Mismatch: 

A Cognitive Mismatch

Defaulting to Everyday Action Scenarios: 

Defaulting to Everyday Action Scenarios Worrying about oil spills or trash on the beach Locking away guns Buying an SUV “Don’t put your hand between the rollers”

Factors that Reinforce EAS Thinking: 

Factors that Reinforce EAS Thinking Consumer stance Personal responsibility advocacy

Lived Experience and the Little Picture: 

Lived Experience and the Little Picture The “Big Picture” is Crowded Out New information is translated into new (and less productive) terms by the dominant models. There is emotional pressure to ignore problems in the food system.

Food Systems as About “Modernization”: 

Food Systems as About “Modernization” Degree of Modernization is exaggerated. Modernization is seen as unstoppable. Problems are the “price of progress.” Certain kinds of information have no place and are “filtered out.”

Limited Educational Value of Food Scares: 

Limited Educational Value of Food Scares Food scares often confirm the generic Modernization narrative. Familiar little-picture models reassert themselves quickly in people’s thinking.

FrameWorks Research: 

FrameWorks Research Elicitations With the Public Cognitive Analysis of Newspaper Coverage of Food Systems

Methods: 

Methods One-hundred fifteen newspaper articles collected from newspapers in various parts of the country The New York Times, The Boston Globe, The Miami Herald, The Detroit Free Press, The Chicago Tribune, The Dallas Morning News, The Seattle Times, and The Los Angeles Times, AP Newswire articles Newspaper archives searched for terms such as “food,” “food systems,” “food production,” “agriculture,” “farms,” etc.

Many pieces play (destructively) on traditional images of farming and rural America: 

Many pieces play (destructively) on traditional images of farming and rural America

Slide25: 

Reinforce a cognitive disconnect between Food and Food Supply Systems Reinforce little-picture thinking by focusing images of the Individual Farmer Suggest that farming is removed from the “real economy.” Depict farming as an anachronistic occupation Make problems seem inevitable by referring to “The Fall” of traditional Rural America

A strong focus on consumers and a consumer-perspective obscures the real dynamics of food systems.: 

A strong focus on consumers and a consumer-perspective obscures the real dynamics of food systems.

Many pieces tend to reinforce the negative implications of the “unstoppable Modernization” picture of food systems.: 

Many pieces tend to reinforce the negative implications of the “unstoppable Modernization” picture of food systems.

Positive Impacts: 

Positive Impacts Highlighting the relationship between farmers/food-producers and the rest of the actors in a region Embedding discussions of particular farms/farmers thoroughly within big-picture discussions Focusing explicitly on the food supply chain Appealing to readers as responsible actors

FrameWorks Research: 

FrameWorks Research Meta-Analysis of Survey Research Elicitations With the Public Cognitive Analysis of Newspaper Coverage of Food Systems Review of Common Advocate Frames

Methods: 

Methods 10 recorded one-on-one conversations conducted with expert advocates at the Food and Society Conference in Lansdowne, VA, in April of 2005 Additional informal conversations over several days during the conference

The Forest and the Trees: 

The Forest and the Trees

The Forest and the Trees: 

The Forest and the Trees Self-Contained Paradigms Minimal Reference to the Food System Not getting past Little Picture Thinking

Slide33: 

Food Security Sustainability Social Justice for Farm Workers Farmland Preservation and Family Farm Viability Slow Food Local Food Organic Food Diversity Traditional Foodways

Why a Unified Conceptual Model for Food Systems?: 

Engagement and Salience Making Sense of Advocates’ Communications Unification and Diversity of the Field Creating Broader Constituencies Making Advocates’ Jobs Easier Inoculating the Paradigms Against “Consumer Thinking” Why a Unified Conceptual Model for Food Systems?

Moving Beyond the EAS: Simplifying Models: 

Moving Beyond the EAS: Simplifying Models Capture the essence of expert (often abstract) understanding Connect expert understanding to EAS (concrete, human scale, cause and effect) Put the actor in the causal picture Simplifying models = compelling explanations

Advantages of Simplifying Models: 

Advantages of Simplifying Models Non-partisan Lasting effects Inoculate against manipulation/spin Ethical

Slide37: 

FrameWorks Institute Research Partner