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Media in intergroup relations

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Though rarely discussed, the first and necessary step in the development of ... All categories are in some sense ... Occupation. Nationality. Categorization ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Media in intergroup relations


1
Media in intergroup relations
  • Implications of/for the media

2
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/category of people
  • All categories are in some sense constructed
  • Basis for category may be biological,
    ideological/cultural, personality-related
  • Membership may be assigned or chosen

3
Categorization
  • No categories, even the most obvious are
    absolutely valid. Some degree of social
    construction always exists.
  • Sex (gender)
  • Race
  • Class
  • Religion
  • Occupation
  • Nationality

4
Categorization
  • The more distant from a biological basis group
    membership becomes, the more constructed one
    might say they are
  • Ideological work must be done to make
    categories real--that is, to give them meaning
  • Regardless of their original basis, categories
    take on excess meaning through the processes of
    formation and application

5
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
  • Cultural heritage

6
Excess meaning
  • Groups are assigned characteristics that go
    beyond those in original definition
  • Powerholder advantage in naming
  • Universalizing of individual characteristics of
    those in direct contact with majority, etc.
  • Group actions interpreted
  • Psychologizing interpretations
  • Group conflict
  • Assignment of blame to groups

7
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

8
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 magnified by
    categorization process
  • Blaming the victim

9
Assignment of group characteristics to individuals
  • Group characteristics are assumed to be inherent
    in typical group members
  • Stereotyping
  • The belief that individuals in a category will
    reflect characteristics assigned to the group
  • Overprediction from statistical tendencies
  • Tversky and Kahneman
  • Resonance a la Gerbner
  • Function of individual-level explanations

10
Attribution
  • Assigned group characteristics and consequent
    assumptions about individual group members
    serve as explanations for social events and
    actions
  • Psychologizing tendency in the U.S.
  • Fundamental attribution error

11
Categories have social impact
  • 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,
    but pro-ingroup may be more valid
  • Original actions may lead to spiraling effects
  • Sherif

12
Media theory and others
  • Political economy
  • A. Power groups control means of societal
    communication, manipulate content in favor of
    prejudice, etc. in ways that help to maintain
    their position. Active opposition to marginal
    voice access.

13
Political economy
  • B. Working of the market favors portrayals that
    cater to popular prejudices. Marginalized groups
    cannot develop economically viable media. Those
    with money will not invest, those out of the
    mainstream will not economically support ventures
    (advertising).

14
Critical cultural study
  • The definition of the other serves to justify
    the distribution of power and wealth, reassure
    majority and adjust minority groups to their
    fate. Political/social discussion takes place
    within presupposed truths of which categories
    are one significant part. Otherness allows
    majority to explain inequality, ignore legitimate
    demands and blame victims for their own
    victimization.

15
Mainstream, liberal pluralist research
  • Media depictions have varied impact on prejudice,
    with effects both supporting and opposing
    stereotyping.
  • Prime-time depictions reflect rather than drive
    overall cultural forces
  • Media portrayals range from negative
    stereotypical to liberatory depictions
  • Critique of white racism
  • Invisibility

16
Positive effects of media
  • Diffusion of information on race/sex, etc. topics
  • Pressure on government to address discrimination,
    etc.
  • Media campaigns against racism

17
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

18
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 plight of minorities
  • Depiction of causes of group troubles
  • Explains poverty, health and crime problems,
    lower status jobs, etc.

19
Potential unintended effects
  • Acts to legitimate categories, maintain and
    disseminate meaning attached to them
  • Introduce categories, associated meaning to
    cultures, societies where they do not currently
    exist
  • Influences self-conception
  • Imposition of positive/negative evaluations
  • Choice of affiliations according to social
    evaluation of groups

20
Potential unintended effects
  • Depiction of inherent, basic, unending conflict
    between categories
  • 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

21
Questions of categorization and media
  • Do media depictions lead, follow, both or neither
  • nature of depictions
  • What impact do media have in group interactions
    cognitive and behavioral?
  • Is media fare read into a set of socially
    structured interpretations based on
    categorization?

22
Minorities on television
23
Blacks in cop shows Officers
24
Blacks in cop shows Offenders
25
Latinos/Hispanic characters
  • Tremendously underrepresented (2)
  • Ramirez Berg outlined 6 stereotypes
  • Mexican bandit
  • Harlot
  • Male buffoon
  • Clown (female counterpart of male buffoon)
  • Latin lover
  • Dark lady (mysterious and alluring but aloof)
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