Media's influence on immigration attitudes: An intergroup threat theory approach

The current study tests the influence of threatening-mediated intergroup contact on intergroup relations. A 2 (Immigration: Threat, No-threat) x 2 (Ingroup Group Exemplar: Present, Absent)+1 (Control Condition) experimental design was used to examine both the direct and indirect influence of news exposure on attitudes toward immigration. The moderating role of previous local news consumption was also investigated. Results indicate that exposure to a threatening news story about immigration directly affected attitudes toward immigrants' human rights, but not attitudes toward immigration policy. News exposure also indirectly influenced both types of immigration attitudes through feelings of intergroup anxiety, particularly for heavy news consumers. The discussion highlights the implications for both intergroup threat theory and cultivation research.