Direct and Indirect Effects of Involvement on Hostile Media Perceptions in the Context of the Refugee Crisis in Germany and Switzerland

Abstract

This article examines hostile media perceptions (HMPs) by building on recent trends in hostile media research. Our study considers the effects of people’s cognitive as well as their affective involvement on HMPs. As the media landscape has changed fundamentally since HMPs were initially identified, the role of social media is explored more profoundly. In addition, this article not only examines the direct effects of involvement and communication activities but tests for indirect effects of involvement mediated through media use and interpersonal discussions. Using data simultaneously collected from two online surveys conducted in Germany and the German-speaking part of Switzerland, the findings strengthen previous evidence that affective involvement is a stronger predictor of HMPs than cognitive involvement. In contrast, media use and interpersonal discussions had only marginal direct effects. The study provides initial evidence for the indirect effects of involvement mediated through exposure to online user comments and interpersonal discussions.

Notes

¹ In contrast, Arpan and Nabi (2011) explored the emotional outcome (anger) in the hostile media process by assessing respondents’ emotional reactions to reading a news story they perceived as biased. As predicted, the results revealed that stronger bias perceptions induce stronger anger reactions (p. 12).

² We are aware that different approaches exist to classify different forms of communication independent of the particular technology used, for example, the masspersonal communication model (O’Sullivan & Carr, 2018) that is used particularly to define communication activities via social-media platforms. However, as we did not measure in which diverse ways people make use of social media, we stick with a medium-centered approach with respect to the source of information rather than with a “user-centered perspective that focuses on communicators’ activities” (O’Sullivan & Carr, 2018, p. 1164).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Dorothee Arlt

Dorothee Arlt (Ph.D., Ilmenau University of Technology, 2013) is a postdoctoral researcher in the Institute of Communication and Media Studies at the University of Bern. Her research interests include media in the context of flight and migration, media reception and effects, and political communication.

Caroline Dalmus

Caroline Dalmus (M.A., University of Fribourg, 2013) is a teaching and research assistant in the Department of Communication and Media Research at the University of Fribourg. Her research interests include political communication, party competition, and populism.

Julia Metag

Julia Metag (Ph.D., University of Muenster, 2013) is a professor in communication science in the Department of Communication and Media Research at the University of Fribourg. Her research interests include political communication, science communication, and media effects.