Metaphor-Switch Inoculation: Teaching Audiences to Resist Manipulative Frames in Conflict Coverage

Develop a media-literacy intervention embedding purposeful metaphor switches within the same news story and measure whether this “metaphor-switch inoculation” increases recognition of framing tactics and reduces biased judgments in conflict coverage (e.g., Russian–Ukrainian war). The intervention is compared to standard single-metaphor frames and warning labels. This approach moves beyond cataloging frames to operationalizing framing literacy by inducing cognitive dissonance through frame switching, encouraging readers to notice manipulative framing. It addresses ethical concerns about manipulative frames in wartime reporting and tests whether inoculation generalizes to new topics. If successful, readers learn to self-detect framing, reducing susceptibility across outlets and topics without heavy-handed moderation. The impact is a practical, scalable defense against manipulative framing that enhances critical engagement, relevant for conflict reporting, election coverage, and platform design.

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