Blaming Asians for coronavirus: the role of valenced framing and discrete emotions in hostile media effect

ABSTRACT

Prior research indicates news sources affect hostile media perceptions, but the role of valenced framing and discrete emotions in perceived media bias remains under-explored. Based on the framing theory and hostile media effect, the study uses an experiment with 2 (CNN vs. Fox News) × 2 (Positive framing vs. Negative framing) design to examine the mediating role of discrete emotions (e.g. hope, anger, and sadness), as well as the moderating effects of racial prejudice. In contrast to prior scholarship, news sources in the study did not influence perceived media bias. However, the results show that hope, anger, and sadness all mediate the relationship between valenced framing and hostile media effect. Such effect was moderated by individuals’ racial prejudice. Implications of these findings for combating anti-Asian racism and future hostile media effect research are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Hostile media effect
• framing theory
• emotions
• racial prejudice
• anti-Asian racism

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 Participants’ awareness of news source was not associated with their political views χ² (6, N = 581) =2.04, p =  .92 and valenced framing χ² (1, N = 581) = 0.99, p = .32. However, participants’ awareness of news sources was significantly associated with their gender, χ² (1, N = 581) = 5.48, p = .019. Of all male participants, 74.3% correctly recognized the news source, but only 64.8% of female participants did. Additionally, participants’ awareness of sources was significantly associated with the news sources, χ² (1, N = 581) = 6.22, p = .013. Of all participants who were assigned to the Fox News condition, 76% correctly identified the news source, but only 66.7% of participants in the CNN condition did. Participants’ awareness of the source was significantly associated with their race/ethnicity, χ² (1, N = 581) = 6.96, p = .008. Of all White participants, 75.1% correctly identified the news source, but only 64.7% of non-White minority participants did.

2 The study performs an additional two-way ANOVA, news sources (CNN vs. Fox News) by valenced framing (positive vs. negative), for all participants, including those who correctly remembered the source and those who did not. The results were consistent with those who correctly identified the source on all measurements, namely, neither a main effect of news sources, F (1, 577) = 3.27, p = .07, ${\eta }_p^2$=.01, nor a main effect of valenced framing F (1, 577) = 0.09, p = .77, ${\eta }_p^2$=.00 was found. The two-way interaction effect was not significant, F (1, 577) = .062, p = .43, ${\eta }_p^2$=.00.

3 Using PROCESS Model 3, the study performs an additional three-way interaction for all participants, including those who correctly remembered the source and those who did not. Results showed a significant moderated model, F (7, 573) = 90.12, p < .001, R² = .52, but with no significant three-way interaction effect among news sources, valenced framing and racial prejudice, F (1, 573) = 2.46, b = –.14, SE = 0.09, p = .12, 95% CI = [–0.31, 0.04].

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Juan Liu

Juan Liu is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mass Communication at Towson University. Her research centers on correcting misinformation on social media, media effects, public opinion, and corporate social advocacy.