Black Criminals and White Officers: The Effects of Racially Misrepresenting Law Breakers and Law Defenders on Television News

Abstract

Participants were exposed to a crime story embedded in a newscast in a 3 (Officer Race—Black, White, or Race Unidentified) × 3 (Perpetrator Race—Black, White, or Race Unidentified) × 2 (Prior News Viewing—Heavy, Light) factorial design. Afterward, participants were asked the likelihood that the depicted officer and perpetrator were either White or Black. In addition, participants were asked how positively they viewed the officer who was featured in the story. Results revealed that race unidentified perpetrators were rated as having a high likelihood of being Black. In addition, heavy news viewers were more likely than light news viewers to express a high likelihood that the unidentified officer was White. Finally, heavy news viewers were more likely than light news viewers to have positive perceptions of unidentified officers, but not of Black officers featured in a newscast. The theoretical implications of these findings are discussed in light of cultivation and chronic activation.