Content framing role on public sentiment formation for pre-crisis detection on sensitive issue via sentiment analysis and content analysis

Abstract

Social media has been tremendously used worldwide for a variety of purposes. Therefore, engagement activities such as comments have attracted many scholars due its ability to reveal many critical findings, such as the role of users’ sentiment. However, there is a lacuna on how to detect crisis based on users’ sentiment through comments, and for such, we explore framing theory in the study herein to determine users’ sentiment in predicting crisis. Generic content framing theory consists of conflict, economic, human interest, morality, and responsibility attributes frame as independent variables whilst sentiment as dependent variables. Comments from selected Facebook posting case studies were extracted and analysed using sentiment analysis via Application Programme Interface (API) webtool. The comments were then further analysed using content analysis via Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) scale and statistically evaluated using SEM-PLS. Model shows that 44.8% of emotion and reactions towards sensitive issue posting are influenced by independent variables. Only economic consequences and responsibility attributes frame had correlation towards emotion and reaction at p<0.05. News reporting on direction towards economic and responsibility attributes sparks negative sentiment, which proves that it can best be described as pre-crisis detection to assist the Royal Malaysian Police and other relevant stakeholders to prevent criminal activities in their respective social media.