Negative Media Coverage Of Immigration Leads To Hostility Towards Immigrants And In-Group Favouritism

By Emily Reynolds The media plays a huge part in shaping our understanding of the world, including how we respond to other people. Coverage of immigration is no different, and previous research has suggested that even subtle changes in language and framing can change the way people think about immigrants. A new study, published in Scientific Reports, looks at the real life impact of negative media portrayals of immigrants. It finds that negative coverage can increase hostility towards immigrants and favouritism towards members of the non-immigrant in-group — which can have serious financial, emotional and social consequences for communities. The first study involved 350 Italian students, some of whom first watched a TV report about immigration. In one condition, participants saw a negative report, which argued that immigration was costly and a threat to the cultural identity of non-immigrants; in another immigrants were portrayed as a positive resource and opportunity to enrich the local culture. Those in the third group watched no video at all. Before and after watching the video, participants gave a sample of their saliva. Next, participants completed measures relating to their perception of the threat immigration poses, how anxious they felt engaging with immigrants, and how they felt about the video. The game element of the study then began, with participants taking part in a “trust game” designed to measure trust, and a “dictator game...
Source: BPS RESEARCH DIGEST - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Media Political Social Source Type: blogs