This research sought to examine the relationship between television news portrayals of African Americans and subsequent behavioral responses toward African Americans.

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Abstract:
This research sought to examine the relationship between television news portrayals of African Americans and subsequent behavioral responses toward African Americans. While this research was not able to clearly illuminate the specific link between portrayal and behavior, this research is able to suggest a model for future studies into such relationships.

[Headnote]
This research sought to examine the relationship between television news portrayals of African Americans and subsequent behavioral responses toward African Americans. While this research was not able to clearly illuminate the specific link between portrayal and behavior, this research is able to suggest a model for future studies into such relationships.

The portrayal of African Americans in television drama, news and sports coverage has been analyzed by journalists and scholars (see Corea, 1993; Dates, 1990; Entman 1990, 1992, 1994; Jackson, 1989; Lule, 1995; MacDonald, 1992; Rada, 1996; Rainville & McCormick, 1997; Staples & Jones, 1985; U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, 1977; and U.S.Riot Commission Report, 1968). While the literature has addressed the content of these media portrayals (or-as the research has shownmisportrayals), and speculated on their impact, few protocols have been suggested for assessing their effect upon African Americans or upon others in the television audience.

To measure the effect of a media portrayal, a study design must include a reasonable behavioral result from viewing the portrayal. At the same time the behavioral result must be captured in an unobtrusive way that will not compromise the ecological validity of the study. One construct that meets both these criteria-and employed in this study-is the prosocial expression of altruism, or a willingness to help.

In investigating a relationship between portrayal and effect, other possible effects on the behavioral response must be controlled or explained. For this research, the personality construct dogmatism was used as a means to identify audience members who can be influenced by the nature of a media portrayal. Dogmatism allowed an adaptation of the empathy-altruism hypothesis; a causal model extensively validated in social psychological research to explain the internal processes which produce altruism, an audience member's willingness to help a person similar to those in a given media portrayal. This modification of the empathy-altruism hypothesis will permit an estimate of short-term effects of favorable and unfavorable portrayals of African Americans in television news stories.

African American Portrayals

African-American portrayals on television have been based on negative stereotypes that do not objectively or accurately portray reality (Corea, 1993; Dates, 1990; Entman 1990, 1992, 1994; Jackson, 1989; Lule, 1995; MacDonald, 1992; Rada, 1996; Rainville & McCormick, 1997; Staples & Jones, 1985; U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, 1977; and U.S. Riot Commission Report, 1968). These stereotypes include, but are not limited to, the portrayal of African-Americans as inferior, lazy, dumb, dishonest, comical, unethical, and crooked (U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, 1977). Dates (1990) was able to add to this list: insolent, bestial, brutish, powerhungry, money hungry and ignorant.

Many of the stereotypes of African Americans encountered in early television have been replaced by new, more subtle representations. One construct proposed to describe these portrayals is symbolic racism. According to Sears (1988), symbolic racism is characterized by three main attributes. First, there is an antagonism toward African Americans" 'pushing too hard' and moving too fast (p. 56)" to achieve equal rights. Inherent in this view is the implication that African Americans employ violence as a means of pushing too hard and moving too fast. Second, there is resentment toward what are perceived to be special favors for African Americans, such as racial quotas in jobs or education, excessive access to welfare, special treatment by government, or unfair economic opportunities for African Americans. The third major component of symbolic racism is a denial of the continuing existence of discrimination.

Research into the portrayal of African Americans in television news points to the conclusion that television news portrayals of African Americans often exhibit characteristics congruent with those of symbolic racism (see Corea, 1993; Entman 1990,1992, and 1994; Lule, 1994; and Thornton, 1990).

Empathy-Altruism Hypothesis

Altruism is defined as one person's willingness to help another in need. Empathy is the durable tendency of one person to be sensitive to another or receptive to the emotional and physical state of another-to understand feelings.

The empathy-altruism hypothesis holds that altruism, one person's willingness to help another in need, is the end result of a chain of judgments made by the potential helper. Key to the model is the focus on the motivation of the subject. The empathy-altruism hypothesis (Batson, 1987; Batson, Batson, Slingsby, Harrell, Peekna, & Todd, 1991; Batson, Dyck, Brandt, Batson, Powell, McMaster, & Griffitt, 1988; Batson, Fultz, & Schoenrade, 1987; Batson & Oleson, 1991; Batson & Shaw, 1991; Batson & Weeks, 1996; Eisenberg & Fabes, 1991; Piliavin & Charng, 1990; and Shroeder, Dovidio, Sibicky, Matthews, & Allen, 1988; for detailed reviews see Batson, 1991; Eisenberg & Miller, 1987a; Eisenberg & Miller, 1987b) focuses on the subject's willingness to help based on the evocation of empathy as a result of the stimulus. Thus, a subject's willingness to help-altruism-is influenced less by potential rewards or punishment, and more by the viewer's experience of empathy toward a potential recipient.

Legitimacy

Another element in the process of stimulating or inhibiting altruism is the helper's perception that the need evident in the target of altruism is legitimate. if the need of a beneficiary is deemed justified or appropriate, then the same level of empathy should produce more altruism and vice versa. In this study, the propriety or justice for need of help is assessed as legitimacy. Previous research has shown that all other factors being equal, people are more willing to help when the need for help is perceived as more legitimate. (Schwartz & Fleishman, 1978; Wilson & Dovidio, 1984).

Whether or not a need is seen as legitimate or illegitimate is often determined by the perceived underlying cause for the need. When a need proceeds from circumstances that are perceived as beyond a person's control, the need is seen as more legitimate. In contrast, when the need results from an intentional act on the part of the person, the need is seen as illegitimate (Schwartz & Fleishman, 1978).

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Legitimacy of need is evoked in studies of altruism by presenting study participants with a scenario depicting a need and the circumstances which have produced it. A photograph of the recipient of the need is shown with the "induction" scenario. By manipulating the legitimacy of need of the potential recipient of altruism the effect of legitimacy may be parsed from that of altruism. Manipulating the legitimacy of the need allows for the comparison, within varying categories of legitimacy, controlling for race of the potential recipient of altruism.

Bending the empathy-altruism hypothesis to the measurement of short term effects of ...

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