In multicultural societies direct intergroup contact is not always possible, and even if it is, people may not easily develop friendships or intimate relationships with outgroup members. The aim of our study is to investigate the primary effect of exposure to LBGT (the primary outgroup) TV portrayals in entertainment programs on attitudes toward them, as well as the effect of such exposure on attitudes toward people with Asperger’s Disorder (the secondary outgroup), controlling for face-to-face and online contact with both outgroups. The research was conducted using a mixed methods approach, a combined analysis of simultaneously collected quantitative and qualitative data. Study 1 was conducted through an online survey of 716 Israeli Jews. Study 2 was based on in-depth interviews with 80 Jews. The study found positive significant relationships between TV exposure to portrayals of LGBT and attitudes toward them either when respondents defined the viewed portrayals of LGBT people as positive, or when they defined them as negative. We also found a significant relationship between TV exposure to portrayals of LGBT and social distance from people with Asperger’s Disorder when viewed portrayals were defined by respondents as negative. The more frequently respondents were exposed to such portrayals, the lower social distance they reported. Such effect was not found when viewed portrayals were defined as positive. Our qualitative findings provided several alternative explanations for this phenomenon. One possible explanation is the different interpretations of LGBT portrayals on TV given by different people depending on their social background and life experience. Most TV programs present LGBT images as positive characters and worthy subjects of identification and therefore a slightly less positive LGBT portrayal may be interpreted and reported as negative. Respondents also clarified that stereotypical and exaggerated LGBT portrayals in TV are annoying, perceived as extremely negative and produce an opposite reaction.
In multicultural societies direct intergroup contact is not always possible, and even if it is, people may not easily develop friendships or intimate relationships with outgroup members. The aim of our study is to investigate the primary effect of exposure to LBGT (the primary outgroup) TV portrayals in entertainment programs on attitudes toward them, as well as the effect of such exposure on attitudes toward people with Asperger’s Disorder (the secondary outgroup), controlling for face-to-face and online contact with both outgroups. The research was conducted using a mixed methods approach, a combined analysis of simultaneously collected quantitative and qualitative data. Study 1 was conducted through an online survey of 716 Israeli Jews. Study 2 was based on in-depth interviews with 80 Jews. The study found positive significant relationships between TV exposure to portrayals of LGBT and attitudes toward them either when respondents defined the viewed portrayals of LGBT people as positive, or when they defined them as negative. We also found a significant relationship between TV exposure to portrayals of LGBT and social distance from people with Asperger’s Disorder when viewed portrayals were defined by respondents as negative. The more frequently respondents were exposed to such portrayals, the lower social distance they reported. Such effect was not found when viewed portrayals were defined as positive. Our qualitative findings provided several alternative explanations for this phenomenon. One possible explanation is the different interpretations of LGBT portrayals on TV given by different people depending on their social background and life experience. Most TV programs present LGBT images as positive characters and worthy subjects of identification and therefore a slightly less positive LGBT portrayal may be interpreted and reported as negative. Respondents also clarified that stereotypical and exaggerated LGBT portrayals in TV are annoying, perceived as extremely negative and produce an opposite reaction.
In multicultural societies direct intergroup contact is not always possible, and even if it is, people may not easily develop friendships or intimate relationships with outgroup members. The aim of our study is to investigate the primary effect of exposure to LBGT (the primary outgroup) TV portrayals in entertainment programs on attitudes toward them, as well as the effect of such exposure on attitudes toward people with Asperger’s Disorder (the secondary outgroup), controlling for face-to-face and online contact with both outgroups. The research was conducted using a mixed methods approach, a combined analysis of simultaneously collected quantitative and qualitative data. Study 1 was conducted through an online survey of 716 Israeli Jews. Study 2 was based on in-depth interviews with 80 Jews. The study found positive significant relationships between TV exposure to portrayals of LGBT and attitudes toward them either when respondents defined the viewed portrayals of LGBT people as positive, or when they defined them as negative. We also found a significant relationship between TV exposure to portrayals of LGBT and social distance from people with Asperger’s Disorder when viewed portrayals were defined by respondents as negative. The more frequently respondents were exposed to such portrayals, the lower social distance they reported. Such effect was not found when viewed portrayals were defined as positive. Our qualitative findings provided several alternative explanations for this phenomenon. One possible explanation is the different interpretations of LGBT portrayals on TV given by different people depending on their social background and life experience. Most TV programs present LGBT images as positive characters and worthy subjects of identification and therefore a slightly less positive LGBT portrayal may be interpreted and reported as negative. Respondents also clarified that stereotypical and exaggerated LGBT portrayals in TV are annoying, perceived as extremely negative and produce an opposite reaction.
Keywords
LGBT portrayals
TV exposure
parasocial contact
secondary transfer effect
