Examining the Hostile Media Effect as an Intergroup Phenomenon: The Role of Ingroup Identification and Status. (29th April 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hartmann, Tilo; Tanis, Martin
• Is Part Of: Journal of communication. Volume 63:Number 3(2013:Jun.)
• Page Start: 535
• Page End: 555
• Publication Date: 2013-04-29
• Subjects: Communication -- Periodicals; Communication and traffic -- Periodicals; Information theory -- Periodicals; Mass media -- Periodicals; 302.2
• DOI: 10.1111/jcom.12031
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0021-9916

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p> <italic>This approach conceptualizes the hostile media effect (HME) as an intergroup phenomenon. Two empirical studies, one quasi‐experimental and one experimental, examine the HME in the context of the abortion debate. Both studies show that ingroup identification and group status qualify the HME. Pro‐choice and pro‐life group members perceived an identical newspaper article as biased against their own viewpoint only if they considered their ingroup to have a lower status in society than the outgroup. In addition, only group members with a stronger ingroup identification showed a HME, particularly because of self‐investment components of ingroup identification. Taken together, the findings confirm the important influence of ingroup status and ingroup identification on the HME</italic>.</p> </abstract>