https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7281-8651
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ABSTRACT
There is limited empirical research examining cultivation theory’s proposition that first-order estimates influence second-order attitudes. In two studies, we examine how Middle Easterners are portrayed on entertainment television and how these portrayals cultivate stereotypical beliefs and policy support. A content analysis in Study 1 finds that nearly half of Middle Eastern characters on entertainment television are portrayed as supporting terrorism. A survey in Study 2 finds that watching television programs averaging two or more Middle Eastern terrorist characters per episode is associated with individuals’ estimations that a higher percentage of Middle Easterners are associated with terrorism in the real world. This first-order cultivation effect was found to be a mediating mechanism between entertainment media exposure and support for restrictive immigration and naturalization policies. We discuss the importance of examining entertainment television representations of racial/ethnic minorities and their implications for attitudes and policy support relevant to the depicted groups.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Supplementary material
Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/15205436.2022.2062000.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Ian Hawkins
Ian Hawkins is a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Stewart M. Coles
Stewart M. Coles is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Muniba Saleem
Muniba Saleem is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Jessica D. Moorman
Jessica D. Moorman is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication at Wayne State University.
Haleemah Aqel
Haleemah Aqel is a Graduate Student at the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California.