Frightening foreigners; the media and hostility towards immigrants

Keywords: Western Europe, English, refugees & migrants, media ethics and diversity, ethnicity/national identity, study/report, print

This study investigates the effect of news media coverage and exposure on hostility toward immigrants, next to the influence of situational and personality factors. The Right Shock model suggests that the experience of an external shock to society, such as an increase in number of immigrants, or an economic downturn, directly influences the level of hostility.

The rise in xenophobia depends on the force of these external shocks independent of the impact of the circumstances and makeup of individuals.

alt Frightening foreigners; the media and hostility towards immigrants [EN].doc