Interplay between media-related perceptions and perceptions of hostility in international conflicts: Results from a study of German and Greek citizens

During the European debt crisis, German and Greek media frequently reported on the political conflict between the two countries. This article examines to what extent the media coverage in one country about the other is considered by German and Greek citizens to be hostile (‘hostile media perception’) and influential (‘influence of presumed influence’). Data from a comparative survey in Germany ( n = 492) and Greece ( n = 484) show that news coverage by foreign media on the European debt crisis is perceived by respondents as hostile against their own country and as influential. Moreover, both media-related perceptions are linked with intensified perceptions of hostility, such as assumptions that an individual’s country is not respected in the other country or that the other country’s citizens are demanding that the individual’s country be punished. Based on these results, it is discussed whether media-related perceptions can have a conflict-intensifying effect in international crises.

Social Media Activism in the Digital Age: Testing an Integrative Model of Activism on Contentious Issues

The purpose of this study was to propose an integrative model of activism that explains why and how individuals in the networked society are engaged in contentious issues. Incorporating the situational theory of problem solving (STOPS), hostile media perception, affective injustice, and social media efficacy, this study examined how the integrative model of activism predicts social media activism and offline activism on three issues of gun ownership, immigration, and police use of power. The integrative model of activism provides a valuable standpoint to understand activist publics and serves as a springboard for further scholarly discussion on activism and conflict resolution.

Thinking about the media: A review of theory and research on media perceptions, media effects perceptions, and their consequences

This review explicates the past, present and future of theory and research concerning audience perceptions of the media as well as the effects that perceptions of media have on audiences. Before the sections that examine media perceptions and media effects perceptions, we first identify various psychological concepts and processes involved in generating media-related perceptions. In the first section, we analyze two types of media perceptions: media trust/credibility perceptions and bias perceptions, focusing on research on the Hostile Media Perception. In both cases, we address the potential consequences of these perceptions. In the second section, we assess theory and research on perceptions of media effects (often referred to as Presumed Influence) and their consequences (referred to as the Influence of Presumed Influence). As examples of Presumed Influence, we evaluate the literature on the Persuasive Press Inference and the Third-Person Perception. The bodies of research on media perceptions and media effects perceptions have been featured prominently in the top journals of the field of mass communication over the past 20 years. Here we bring them together in one synthetic theoretical review.

Por que a mídia é tão parcial e adversária da minha posição? A hipótese da "hostile media perception"

O trabalho discute o muito disseminado sentimento, que afeta os membros de certos grupos e em certascircunstâncias, de que os meios de comunicação são tendenciosos contra o nosso lado e favorecem olado adversário, assim como os mecanismos que lhe são subjacentes. Este ensaio tem como foco asensação, convicção ou opinião, compartilhada por pessoas altamente envolvidas com certos temas ouassuntos, de que os conteúdos e abordagens da mídia são tendenciosos e adversários se e quandoincongruentes com o ponto de vista ideológico, político ou religioso do próprio sistema de referênciasintelectual, moral e afetivo. Para tanto, o artigo resenha os argumentos mais constantes nos quase trintaanos de literatura especializada sobre a “hostile media perception” (HMP), modelo teórico-metodológicoimportante no campo dos estudos dos efeitos da comunicação, resumindo pontos de vista e apontandodireções da pesquisa.

Por que a mídia é tão parcial e adversária da minha posição? A hipótese da "hostile media perception"

<em>O trabalho discute o muito disseminado sentimento, que afeta os membros de certos grupos e em certas circunstâncias, de que os meios de comunicação são tendenciosos contra o nosso lado e favorecem o lado adversário, assim como os mecanismos que lhe são subjacentes. Este ensaio tem como foco a sensação, convicção ou opinião, compartilhada por pessoas altamente envolvidas com certos temas ou assuntos, de que os conteúdos e abordagens da mídia são tendenciosos e adversários se e quando incongruentes com o ponto de vista ideológico, político ou religioso do próprio sistema de referências intelectual, moral e afetivo. Para tanto, o artigo resenha os argumentos mais constantes nos quase trinta anos de literatura especializada sobre a “hostile media perception” (HMP), modelo teórico-metodológico importante no campo dos estudos dos efeitos da comunicação, resumindo pontos de vista e apontando direções da pesquisa. </em>

Speaking up Online: Exploring Hostile Media Perception, Health Behavior, and Other Antecedents of Communication

This study explores the influence of hostile media perception (HMP) and other antecedents to mothers’ willingness to speak up regarding the issue of breastfeeding, particularly in online environments. An online survey of mothers ( N = 455) revealed that mothers are more likely to express opinions about breastfeeding online, and also with friends and family, if they consider media coverage of the issue biased or hostile. In addition, as hypothesized, the personality trait of outspokenness influences mothers’ willingness to speak up and mediates the effect of HMP on communication, although there were conditional effects based on mothers’ past breastfeeding behaviors. Implications are discussed.