The chapter unpacks the concept of frame sizing, particularly focusing on the social and psychological underpinnings that enable individuals and groups to expand or contract their inclusionary boundaries. The chapter delves into the natural human tendency towards forming in-groups and out-groups, underscoring the evolutionary benefits of such distinctions. However, it simultaneously challenges the rigidity of these boundaries, highlighting examples of successful and failed frame-resizing efforts across various social contexts. Through a thoughtful exploration of the seven pillars of friendship and the dynamics of kin and pseudo-kin relationships, the chapter illustrates the potential for social groups to stretch their conceptual and emotional boundaries to include a more comprehensive array of members and perspectives. It navigates through the complexities of moral and immoral frame resizing, proposing that the ability to resize our social frames adaptively is crucial for fostering inclusivity, understanding, and cooperation in a diversely interconnected world. The narrative advocates for a nuanced approach to social elasticity, suggesting that individuals and societies can cultivate more inclusive and resilient communities by understanding and leveraging the deep-seated human instincts for group formation and boundary negotiation.

This introductory chapter sets the stage for a profound exploration of framing as a pivotal mechanism of social influence and persuasion. Through the compelling narrative of an early instance of activism in Amsterdam, the chapter illustrates the transformative power of physical and metaphorical framing in altering public spaces and societal norms. The chapter establishes framing as a ubiquitous yet often unconscious force shaping human perception and interaction across various issues, from food consumption and climate change beliefs to the broader implications of ethical and sustainable consumption. The chapter argues that understanding and navigating the frames that define our reality is crucial for effective communication, social change, and personal empowerment. By highlighting the inherent complexity and multidimensionality of framing, the chapter challenges the reader to reconsider the role of framing in public discourse and personal decision-making processes. It sets the groundwork for the book’s deeper investigation into framing as a nuanced art, offering insights into its potential for both enlightenment and deceit. The chapter underscores the importance of framing in societal debates and personal choices, advocating for a more conscious engagement with the frames that influence us.

The chapter explores the strategic use of framing to adjust the perceived emotional intensity of issues, a technique that can either ignite public interest or cool down potential controversies. This chapter investigates how different social actors manipulate the ‘temperature’ of discourse around various topics, from political debates to environmental concerns, using framing to shape public perception and influence behaviour. It illustrates how the heating or cooling of issues can mobilize or dampen public engagement, drawing on examples that show the powerful effect of emotional framing on collective action and apathy. The chapter scrutinizes the ethical implications of such framing practices, questioning where the line between persuasion and manipulation lies. Analysing the methods behind tempering the emotional charge of public issues offers insight into the nuanced interplay between media, activists, policymakers, and the public. The chapter encourages readers to critically evaluate the framing of issues in media and political rhetoric, promoting a more discerning approach to understanding the forces that shape our perceptions and actions.

The chapter investigates the pivotal role metaphors play in framing discourse, effectively acting as thermostats that amplify or dampen a message’s emotional and cognitive impact. This chapter illustrates how metaphors serve as powerful tools in the arsenal of communicators, allowing them to subtly influence public perception and behaviour by adjusting the ‘temperature’ of the conversation surrounding various issues. Through a detailed analysis of both historical and contemporary examples, the chapter reveals how strategically chosen metaphors have shaped political, social, and environmental narratives, cooling down potential controversies or heating interest and engagement. It explores the dual capacity of metaphors to clarify complex ideas and to obscure or distort reality, highlighting the fine line between enlightening explanation and manipulative rhetoric. The discussion underscores the ethical considerations inherent in the use of metaphors, prompting a reflection on the responsibility of speakers and writers to wield this tool judiciously. By demonstrating the significant impact metaphors have on framing and, by extension, on public discourse, the chapter calls for a more informed and critical approach to the language we encounter and use, advocating for a heightened awareness of the power of metaphors to shape our understanding of the world.

This chapter recounts the author’s interviews with people who hear voices that others cannot. This hearing of voices is connected to the central notion of ‘the presence feeling’. The author describes how in feeling that something is there, but not via our normal senses, we are sensing something impossible, ‘going beyond’ the ordinary sensory field. At the same time, these experiences don’t quite seem to fit the sensation of presence we have encountered already. They are beyond what someone could conceivably experience, but they do not pick out the social bit – the sense of someone being there. Presences, then, are not new. They have been there all along, with people trying to describe them but unable to pin them down or grasp why they come, why they are there.

This chapter examines the critical role of timing in the effectiveness of framing strategies. It highlights how the impact of a frame can significantly vary depending on the timing of its introduction into the public discourse. The chapter analyses how strategically timed frames can capitalize on societal moods, current events, or the public’s attention cycle to either amplify or mitigate the perceived importance of issues. By examining case studies and examples from politics, social movements, and media campaigns, the chapter demonstrates how adept timing can transform a relatively unnoticed issue into a hot topic or cool down potentially explosive situations. It explores the concept of the ‘zeitgeist’ and how aligning frames with or against the spirit of the times can determine their resonance with the public. Additionally, the chapter addresses the ethical considerations surrounding the manipulation of timing for framing purposes, questioning the line between strategic communication and opportunistic exploitation. Focusing on the temporal aspects of framing offers readers insights into the sophisticated tactics used by communicators to navigate the complex landscape of public opinion, urging a more critical engagement with when and how issues are framed. This exploration into the timing of framing contributes to a deeper understanding of the dynamic interplay between message, timing, and context in shaping public consciousness.

Visual hallucinations are known to occur in both Parkinson’s and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). This chapter studies both conditions. The author posits that we have at least two different theories to consider. The body theory of felt presence reflects how we think the motor system works and provides a plausible explanation of how presences might be possible in particular situations and conditions. An alternative theory of presence is based on the broader idea of ‘predictive processing’. When we see, hear or feel things around us that aren’t there, our brain attempts to fill in the gaps based on some kind of ingrained expectation. That might not be something we are consciously expecting – it is more like a learned response. We can call this the expectation theory of presence. These models might not be mutually exclusive. Both of these theories could be playing a role in the presences of psychosis or Parkinson’s. They could potentially explain different examples of presence, or they could work in concert in some way, one laying the groundwork, the other offering a finishing touch.

This chapter introduces the concept of framing, juxtaposing its physical and metaphorical aspects through an engaging narrative involving an art project. It explores the boundary-setting, contextualizing, and perception-shaping functions of frames, arguing for their pivotal role in human understanding and interaction. The chapter presents framing as both an ancient and a contemporary tool of influence, deeply embedded in human cognition and social interaction. It compares framing with classical rhetoric, suggesting that, like rhetorical strategies, framing shapes perceptions, decisions, and behaviours by emphasizing some aspects while omitting others. At the same time, framing vastly exceeds rhetoric by including tacit, wordless, and even non-communicative dimensions of social influence. The chapter posits that framing is a nuanced art form, capable of both clarifying and obscuring reality, thus influencing societal norms and individual beliefs. By highlighting the dynamic nature of framing and its capacity to manipulate perceptions consciously and unconsciously, the chapter sets a foundational perspective for the book’s further exploration of how framing operates within various social phenomena, including politics, media, and personal identity.

The chapter explores the intriguing world of framing, demonstrating how societal perceptions of individuals and groups can be dramatically altered through the strategic application of narrative techniques. This chapter delves into the nuanced process by which certain entities are morally repainted, transforming perceived ‘sinners’ into ‘saints’ and vice versa, effectively reshaping public opinion. It sheds light on the psychological underpinnings and societal mechanisms that make these shifts possible, such as our inherent in-group biases and the persuasive power of media narratives. Through a series of compelling case studies, the chapter reveals the dual nature of framing: its ability to redeem the tarnished images of some while casting shadows on the reputations of others. This analysis raises important questions about the ethical boundaries of such practices, highlighting the thin line between legitimate persuasion and manipulative propaganda. By the end of the chapter, readers are encouraged to critically assess the framing narratives encountered in daily life, recognizing the complexity and ethical considerations inherent in categorizing individuals or groups as morally ‘good’ or ‘bad.’ The chapter serves as a call to be more mindful of the framing effects that shape our perceptions and judgments, urging a balanced and informed approach to understanding the moral landscapes we navigate

This chapter begins with the story of Leven Brown, who rowed from Cadiz to Tobago. The author talks to Leven to understand more about the link between endurance and presence. There is a dearth of accounts of experiences that sound like presence for extended pursuits done solo: ultrarunners, free divers, long distance swimmers and sailors, for example. But what drives that connection? Is it just isolation, leading us to conjure companions? Is it about people being pushed to the extremes of their limits, mentally and physically? Or is it something more individual than that, something unique to the people who have these experiences? Some of the encounters reported are similar to the classic ‘Third Man’ experiences discussed in chapter 2. They come about in adverse situations, but they occur more in continuity with everyday life. The author is left with some questions: is it stress or adversity that prompts these experiences, or do they tend to occur for a certain kind of person? Do you have to be someone extraordinary already to enter this realm? And if you do need to be a certain kind of person, how can the experience ever be separated from the individual?