Elite actors and the framing of foreign policy: Creating emotional resonance in foreign policy frames

Although studies suggest emotion plays an important role in constructing meaning, previous research has not identified the specific role of emotions in framing processes. In this dissertation I address this issue and identify how emotions are used by elite political actors (i.e. The President of the United States) to enhance foreign policy frames. Specifically, I conduct a content analysis of presidential statements and newspaper articles to answer two research questions: First how are emotions used by elite political actors when framing foreign policy proposals? And, second, to what extent and in what ways is the expression of emotion represented in media coverage?;To answer the first question I present the results of a content analysis of presidential statements regarding foreign policy across four presidencies. I argue that actors create emotional resonance, or effectiveness, in frames by outlining feeling rules in their messages. Actors use emotions to define the appropriate feelings one should have in regard to events, and in doing so construct an argument that supports a specific policy preference. Additionally, emotional resonance enhances frames because it allows actors to create a common understanding of an issue that reaches beyond those directly affected by specific events.;To answer the second question I present the results of logistic regression analysis which shows that, under certain circumstances, the expression of emotions by actors is associated with the presence of the same emotions in media coverage. Specifically, during periods when the salience of an issue is heightened, the emotions present in media coverage are significantly related to the emotions expressed in presidential statements. Implications for these findings and suggestions for future research regarding the role of emotion in framing processes are discussed.