Framing Effect

The framing effect is a means of presenting information or performing actions in a way that portrays or slants it so that the person responsible for it wishes it to be received.

For instance, when sending children to school parents who portray school as a "fun" experience that includes friends, playtime, and interesting activities will make it seem a whole lot more inviting than it would be to emphasize to children that school is also about rules, paying attention, sitting still, and learning. Likewise, a parent might especially stress the dangerous aspects of things such as fire, knives, guns, strange dogs, and other risky items to frighten children enough to leave these types of things alone - by framing these things as scary then the child will be more likely to avoid them.