Linguistic Intergroup Bias About the 2016 U.S. Presidential Candidates As a Function of Political Ideology

This study explores whether visual presentation style (i.e., camera shot variation) may influence perceptions of Presidential candidates during televised debates. In a field experiment, 341 randomly assigned college students viewed or listened to one of seven broadcast network or cable/satellite channel conditions during the first televised Presidential debate between Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump. A feeling thermometer and 19 leadership and personal traits were assessed during the time leading up to the debate and again immediately afterward. No differences were found based on presentation style, likely reflecting lack of variance in visual differences between the networks and broadcast channels. However, participant political ideology was significantly related to postdebate feelings toward each candidate. Judgments of Clinton’s professional and personal traits increased as was also the case albeit less significantly for Trump. Reasons for these changes in perceptions of the candidates following the debate are explored.

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How the Linguistic Intergroup Bias Affects Group Perception: Effects of Language Abstraction on Generalization to the Group

The Journal of Social Psychology ◽

10.1080/00224545.2012.711380 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 153 (1) ◽

pp. 98-108 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Yvette Assilaméhou ◽

Nadia Lepastourel ◽

Benoit Testé

Keyword(s):

Intergroup Bias ◽

Group Perception ◽

Linguistic Intergroup Bias ◽

Language Abstraction

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Expressing Prejudice through the Linguistic Intergroup Bias: Second Language Confidence and Identity among Minority Group Members

Diversité urbaine ◽

10.7202/019564ar ◽

2008 ◽

pp. 109-130 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Jessica L. Shulman ◽

Richard Clément1

Keyword(s):

Second Language ◽

Communication Theory ◽

Minority Group ◽

Group Identification ◽

Verbal Communication ◽

Intergroup Bias ◽

Intergroup Communication ◽

Group Members ◽

Linguistic Intergroup Bias

Abstract The role of verbal communication in the transmission of prejudice has received much theoretical attention (Hecht, 1998; Le Couteur & Augoustinos, 2001), including the features of the linguistic intergroup bias (Maass, Salvi, Arcuri, & Semin, 1989), yet few studies have examined the acquisition of an out-group language as a factor in mitigating prejudicial speech. The conditions under which minority Canadian Francophones use linguistic bias when communicating about the in- and out-group (i.e., Canadian Anglophones) were investigated. Data was collected from 110 Francophone students. Predictions were confirmed but only when out-group identification was considered. Further, out-group identification and second language confidence were both related to a decrease in out-group derogation; however, the same factors appear to promote linguistically biased speech toward the in-group. Results are discussed within current intergroup communication theory.

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Effects of Linguistic Abstractness in the Mass Media

Journal of Media Psychology Theories Methods and Applications ◽

10.1027/1864-1105/a000014 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 22 (3) ◽

pp. 99-104 ◽

Cited By ~ 32

Author(s):

Daniel Geschke ◽

Kai Sassenberg ◽

Georg Ruhrmann ◽

Denise Sommer

Keyword(s):

Mass Media ◽

Media Coverage ◽

Intergroup Bias ◽

Positive Behavior ◽

Negative Behavior ◽

News Reports ◽

Group Members ◽

Linguistic Intergroup Bias ◽

The Mass Media

Media coverage contributes to the perpetuation of stereotypes and prejudice. So far, research has focused on biased content rather than style in reporting about minorities. One such stylistic dimension is the so-called linguistic intergroup bias: The tendency to describe positive behavior of members of one’s own group and negative behavior of other groups’ members in a more abstract way (compared to the same behavior of the respective other group). Recipients of communication biased in this way judge the described individuals in line with abstract descriptions (i.e., own-group members more positively than members of other groups). The current study demonstrates that linguistically biased news reports about minorities lead to higher levels of prejudice. Hence, media coverage does not only affect attitudes about minorities by what is reported, but also by how it is presented.

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