misframe

Misframe is an informal term used to describe an incorrect or biased framing of information, topics, or images. It denotes a framing choice that steers interpretation in a particular direction, often by omitting context, emphasizing a selective aspect, or presenting facts in a misleading way. The term is not standardized across disciplines and is commonly treated as shorthand for framing errors rather than a defined theory.

In communications and journalism, misframing occurs when a topic is presented within a narrative that privileges a specific interpretation, potentially shaping audience judgments while downplaying alternative viewpoints or relevant context. In cognitive psychology and behavioral economics, framing effects show how the way choices are presented can influence decisions; a misframe would be a presentation that distorts perceived options or outcomes beyond ordinary framing effects. In visual media and design, misframing refers to poor composition or cropping that fails to represent the subject accurately, or that introduces an unintended focal point, while in video or photography it can involve inconsistent framing across shots or incorrect aspect ratios.

In data visualization and machine vision, misframing describes situations where the subject or important details are improperly positioned within a frame, reducing recognizability and analysis accuracy. Because misframe is not a formal, universally defined term, its precise meaning is best inferred from context, with some writers treating it as deliberate manipulation and others as a methodological error. See also framing effect, framing (communication), misrepresentation, and crop or composition.