Let me tell you a story: Narrative effects in the communication of stigma toward migrant workers in China

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the impact of narratives on urban dwellers’ attitudes toward migrant workers in China. With a 2 (message valence: positive or negative)$\times$2 (message type: narrative or description) between-subjects factorial design, 261 participants were randomly assigned to conditions to assess their emotional reactions and stigma toward migrant workers. The results showed that positive messages elicited less negative emotion and stigma compared to negative messages. The effects of message type on stigma differed by message valence. Compared to descriptions, narratives directly reduced stigma in positive conditions, while the relationship in negative conditions was mediated by perceived message believability.

KEYWORDS:

• Stigma communication
• rural-to-urban migrant workers in China
• narrative
• emotion
• message believability

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Dr. Rong Rong, professor in the College of Journalism and Communication at Tianjin Normal University, China, for her great help in data collection. Thanks to Dr. Sandi Smith and Dr. John Sherry, faculty in the Department of Communication at Michigan State University for their valuable feedback and suggestions.

Notes on contributors

Xiaodi Yan (M.A. 2017, Michigan State University) is a doctoral student in the Department of Communication at Michigan State University. Her research interest is to study message effects in contexts of stigma and health. She is also interested in investigating the role of emotion and culture in these processes.

Mary Bresnahan (Ph.D. 1985, University of Michigan) is a Beal Professor in the Department of Communication at Michigan State University. Her research interests include stigma and intergroup bias and stigmatized health conditions.