Intergroup Contact, Traditional and Social Media Use, and Attitudes Toward Chinese People in COVID-19: U.S. College Students’ Perspective

Authors

  • Yan Bing Zhang University of Kansas
  • Teri Terigele University of Kansas
  • Molly Han University of Kansas
  • Sile Li Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, PR China
  • Yang Yu Shandong University
  • Racheal Ruble Iowa State University

Keywords:

traditional media, social media, cultivation theory, intergroup contact quality, friendship, COVID-19, intergroup anxiety, attitudes toward Chinese people

Abstract

Guided by cultivation theory and intergroup contact theory, we examined how U.S. college students’ traditional media use and social media use for information about COVID-19, and direct contact with Chinese were associated with their behavioral attitudes toward Chinese people in this survey study. Findings indicated that contact quality was positively associated with attitudes toward Chinese people. Moderation analyses indicated that traditional media use negatively predicted behavioral attitudes toward Chinese people for those with no Chinese friends and was a nonsignificant predictor for those with one or more Chinese friends. Furthermore, results indicated that social media use was positively associated with attitudes toward Chinese people for those who had high contact quality with Chinese but was a nonsignificant predictor for those who had low contact quality. Overall findings ruminate the critical role of intergroup contact quality and friendship in reducing intergroup prejudice in COVID-19.

Author Biographies

Yan Bing Zhang, University of Kansas

Professor, PhDDepartment of Communication StudiesUniversity of Kansas

Teri Terigele, University of Kansas

Doctoral student in the Department of Communication Studies at the University of Kansas

Molly Han, University of Kansas

Doctoral student in the Department of Communication Studies at the University of Kansas

Sile Li, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, PR China

Associate Professor in the School of Foreign Languages at Hubei University of Chinese Medicine

Yang Yu, Shandong University

Shandong University

Racheal Ruble, Iowa State University

Associate Teaching Professor in the Department of Psychology at Iowa State University

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Published

2022-12-29

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Section

Articles