Media in intergroup relations

1
Media in intergroup relations

• Implications for society

2
(No Transcript)
3
(No Transcript)
4
(No Transcript)
5
(No Transcript)
6
(No Transcript)
7
Categorization

• Though rarely discussed, the first and necessary
  step in the development of group evaluations
  (including prejudice) is the definition/social
  construction of a group or category of people
• All categories are in some sense constructed
• Race is a socially-defined category
• No clear genetically-based races exist
• The basis for category may be biological,
  ideological/cultural, personality-related
• Membership may be assigned or chosen

8
Categorization

• No categories, even the most obvious are
  completely valid. Some degree of social
  construction always exists.
• Sex (gender)
• Race
• Class
• Religion
• Occupation
• Nationality

9
Categorization

• The more distant from a biological basis group
  membership becomes, the more constructed groups
  can be considered
• Ideological work must be done to make
  categories real--that is, to give them meaning

10
Excess meaning

• Categories take on meaning beyond the original
  characteristics and/or reasons for their
  formation
• In-group bias
• Formation of the other
• Function/power value of representations

11
Excess meaning

• Groups are assigned characteristics that go
  beyond those in the original definition
• Powerholders have an advantage in naming
• Characteristics found in some individuals are
  assumed to be universal within the group
• Group actions are interpreted
• Psychologizing interpretations
• Group conflict
• Assignment of blame to groups

12
A hierarchy of categories

• Categories are assigned a position relative to
  each other
• Relative importance (salience)
• situational salience
• social/historical salience
• Relations among categories
• cross pressures
• mutual reinforcement

13
Note assigned characteristics may be false

• Groups may be perceived in a false light
• Misinterpretation of behavior, actions
• Majority, power groups need for explanation that
  jibes with social action either by ingroup or
  outgroup
• Widespread distribution of biased depictions
• economic logic of media representations
• Slight group tendencies can be magnified by the
  categorization process
• Blaming the victim

14
Assignment of group characteristics to
individuals

• Stereotyping
• The belief that individuals will exhibit traits
  assigned to the category or group
• Group characteristics are assumed to be inherent
  in typical group members
• Overprediction from statistical tendencies
• Tversky and Kahneman
• Resonance a la Gerbner
• Function of individual-level explanations

15
Attribution

• Assigned group characteristics and consequent
  assumptions about individual based on their
  perceived membership in a group serve as
  explanations for social events and actions
• Psychologizing tendency in the U.S.
• Fundamental attribution error
• Blaming the victim

16
Categories have social influence

• Subject is called upon to locate herself as
  either a member or nonmember
• Processes of bias in information processing and
  in behavior seem to be nearly automatic
• Theorists have tended to assume anti-outgroup
  biases, but pro-ingroup may be more valid
• Original actions may lead to spiraling effects
• Sherif

17
Media theory and others

• Political economy
• Power groups control means of societal
  communication, manipulate content in favor of
  prejudice, etc. in ways that help to maintain
  their position. Powerful prevent marginalized
  groups from gaining access to the media.

18
Political economy (theory 2)

• Working of the market favors portrayals that
  cater to popular prejudices. Marginalized groups
  cannot develop economically viable media. Those
  with money will not invest in unprofitable
  ventures (or those with low return on investment)
  that would cater to marginalized groups.
• not enough people/money to make advertising to
  them worthwhile

19
Critical cultural study

• The definition of the other serves to justify
  the distribution of power and wealth, reassure
  the majority and to adjust minority groups to
  their fate. Political/social discussion takes
  place within presupposed truths, including the
  nature of categories of people.
• Otherness allows the majority to explain
  inequality, ignore legitimate demands and blame
  victims for their own victimization.

20
Mainstream, liberal pluralist approach

• Media depictions have a varied impact on
  prejudice, with effects both supporting and
  opposing stereotyping.
• Prime-time depictions reflect rather than drive
  cultural forces
• Media portrayals range from negative
  stereotypical to liberatory depictions
• Critique of white racism
• Invisibility

21
(No Transcript)
22
(No Transcript)
23
(No Transcript)
24
(No Transcript)
25
Positive effects of media

• Diffusion of information on race/sex, etc. topics
• Pressure on government to address discrimination
• Media campaigns against racism
• Modeling of positive intergroup associations,
  attitudes and behaviors

26
Positive effects of media

• Production and dissemination of content opposing
  racism
• Exposure of hate crimes, etc.
• Depiction of groups in non- or counter-stereotypic
  al ways
• Preservation of subcultures
• Development of community among group members
• In-group solidarity

27
Negative effects of media

• Stereotypic characterizations
• Many content analyses have identified sexist,
  racist, etc. depictions
• Generation of a culture of prejudice
• Viewer acceptance of images
• Reduced concern over the plight of minorities

28
Negative effects of media

• Depiction of causes of group troubles
• Explains poverty, health and crime problems,
  lower status jobs, etc.
• Modeling of intergroup prejudice, discrimination
  and even violence
• Depictions may have antisocial effects if
  perpetrators are attractive, rewarded, etc.

29
Potential unintended effects

• Acts to legitimate categories, maintain and
  disseminate meaning attached to them
• Introduction of categories, associated meaning to
  cultures, societies where they do not currently
  exist
• Influences on self-conception
• Imposition of positive/negative evaluations
• Choice of affiliations according to social
  evaluation of groups

30
Potential unintended effects

• Depiction of inherent, basic, unending conflict
  between categories
• Does in-group bias lead to discrimination without
  prejudice?
• Boomerang effect of providing support to
  racist/sexist ideas as content is selectively
  attended to, interpreted, etc.
• All in the Family

31
Questions of categorization and media

• Do media depictions lead social beliefs, follow,
  both or neither
• nature of depictions
• What impact do media have in cognitive and
  behavioral group interactions?
• Is media fare read into a set of socially
  structured interpretations based on
  categorization?