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Published in
Academic Frontiers
Emotional Framing in Political Campaigns: Its Influence on the Electoral Decision-Making of Individuals Through Social Media Content Analysis
Academic Frontiers, 2(7), 40-50, ISSN: 3082-4400, 2026.
Recommended Citation:
Colas, J. B. (2026). Emotional Framing in Political Campaigns: Its Influence on the Electoral Decision-Making of Individuals Through Social Media Content Analysis. Academic Frontiers, 2(7), 40–50. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21434869
Author(s)
Colas, Jevie Balangue
Abstract
This study presents a qualitative content analysis examining how emotional framing in digital political campaigns influences individuals' electoral decision-making. As political discourse shifts from traditional institutions to social media networks, campaigns systematically replace policy-heavy texts with highly targeted emotional appeals. Following the Braun and Clarke thematic analysis framework, this research conducts a rigorous content analysis of secondary academic literature and campaign documentation. The findings reveal that brief linguistic frames, such as hashtags and captions, paired with high-arousal visual media, bypass cognitive evaluation to forge instant voter connections. This media ecosystem drives rapid algorithmic amplification and selective exposure, trapping citizens in emotionally polarized bubbles that directly convert digital engagement into physical youth mobilization. Ultimately, this research connects digital campaign ethics to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16, emphasizing that protecting democratic institutions requires a shift away from algorithmic manipulation toward an informed, fact-based electorate.
Keywords
Digital Political Mythmaking, Affective Electoral Mobilization, Algorithmic Selective Exposure, Qualitative Media Content Analysis, Institutional Democratic Transparency (SDG 16)
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